


Cherry Blossoms

by AmralimeOfGondolin



Series: The Magical Life of Hana Yukimura [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Asian Character(s), Attempted Murder, Betrayal, Chinese Character(s), F/M, Family Member Death, Fantastic Racism, First War with Voldemort, Gen, Irish Character(s), Japanese Character(s), Japanese Culture, Japanese Mythology & Folklore, Loss, Loss of Parent(s), M/M, Marauders, Marauders Era (Harry Potter), Multi, Murder, Other, Parent Death, Post-First War with Voldemort, Rise of Voldemort, Temporarily Unrequited Love, Unrequited Crush, Unrequited Love, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-22
Updated: 2021-01-25
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:40:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, Major Character Death
Chapters: 45
Words: 88,111
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23794762
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/AmralimeOfGondolin/pseuds/AmralimeOfGondolin
Summary: The Japanese sakura trees bloom, but Hana is nowhere near them. She's in England, far from home, and in the midst of a growing and impending war. Lord Voldemort threatens the lives of many, but Hana is safe at Hogwarts, setting herself up to be the best student in her year, and hoping to recover some of the magic she'd lost as a child. Granted, she's still a child, and there is still much magic to be gained... or to be lost again.
Relationships: James Potter/Lily Evans Potter, Original Female Character(s)/Original Male Character(s), Severus Snape/Original Female Character(s), Sirius Black/Original Male Character(s)
Series: The Magical Life of Hana Yukimura [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1714276
Comments: 25
Kudos: 14





	1. Dreary Days

**Author's Note:**

> Hello all!  
> Due to unfortunate circumstances, I had to kill my last account on Archive, but I've come back, and I'm reposting my story for you all!  
> Once again, this is a Fanfiction that I've been working on for a long time, and I'm so happy to share with you.  
> Also, with the new chapters come a few minor modifications, so if you want or have the time to reread from the beginning, go right ahead! However, it's mostly just grammatical issues and some corrections to dialogue that I've fixed.  
> Anyway,  
> Happy reading ♥

**June 1971**  
  
The water droplets fell like they simply could not think of anything better to do. There was a laziness about them as if they could barely be bothered to conform to the will of gravity. When Hana held her bare arm out of the terraced home window, the droplets that splattered on her outstretched fingers didn't stay long. They dried up and disappeared from the heat of the fireplace. But while they lingered on her skin, the droplets were large and cold, not like the soft droplets of rain from back home at all. Hana tilted her fingers upwards and watched the remnants of the drops run downwards like tiny rivers until they vanished just before they reached her elbow.   
  
On the sidewalk ahead the uneven slabs had a rainbow sheen - all that remained of a kids game of hopscotch. The outline was still there, a ghostly shadow of what it was before the heavy rains that pounded the city this morning. Above the sky was dominated by tumbling greys, smoky and silver, but soon the sky became dark and low with ominous black clouds and the wind picked up, howling like a wolf into the night. The first crack of lightning lit up the sky, and within seconds the rolling boom of the thunder reverberated overhead. The rain began falling harder than before, splattering the sidewalks haphazardly and washing away the rest of the hopscotch games. Then it fell as if from buckets, pounding on the roof as if it were demanding entrance.   
  
Hana sighed and got up from the window seat in the living room, stepping into the kitchen to retrieve a copper pot from one of its cupboards and passing by the muggle television that was speaking of yet another random death in London. She waited a few moments until the fire had completely died down, raindrops falling inside from the ill-conceived chimney, and placed the pot in the wet ashes to capture the rain. Hana retrieved a thick patterned blanket from the couch on her way back to the window seat and continued reading after closing the window that looked out onto the lane.  
  
While the sound of rain, broken by the rumble of thunder, was soothing, Hana much preferred to be back in her village in Japan. Even after five years, the lush forested mountains and salty sea air called to her - the cold and damp streets of England never to replace them. Hana wanted to stare up at the vast expanse of blue. Unlike the city she was in, that was penned in by snow-capped mountains and grey buildings, there you could see blue in every direction to the horizon, the sky even melded with the green ground where thousands of little yellow flowers littered the fields and the mountains. Hana wanted the soft singing of the field workers, she missed the way the wind whipped her hair into the air like thick smoke, her dark eyes fixated on the raging sea. She longed to run free through the rice fields again, drink some tea on the sunny porch of her home, or even just see a field of green for once. Hana was tired of reading the same books over and over again, and as she watched her father return from work at the Ministry of Magic, all she could think of was how much she'd rather see her mother walking through that door, smelling like the sakura trees that bloomed in their old backyard. But that would never happen. Umeko Yukimura had died five years ago.  
  
"How was your day?" Akira asked his daughter, perfunctorily.   
"It was okay," she said quietly, eyes still glued to her book.  
"You got a letter in the mail."  
  
Akira had set it on the kitchen table by the time Hana managed to untangle herself from her blanket.   
If there was one thing that was keeping her alive, it was the notion that eventually, she would be getting her acceptance letter from Hogwarts, and that she could occupy herself with magical theory and spells rather than watching English children running down the sidewalk.  
  
Hana snatched the letter from the table, and her eyes scanned it immediately. She didn't waste time in ripping the envelope open to read the list of provisions and equipment, skipping over the neat green cursive of the introduction letter from the Deputy Head-Mistress, Minerva McGonagall.  
  
Hana sat back in the sofa and let the happiness soak right into her bones. From here on out, she wanted the feeling to still be there when she was old. She closed her eyes and savoured the moment, but never released her grip on the seemingly inconsequential piece of paper and ink in her hands. For the first time in forever, her body and mind relaxed.  
  
"Otōsan, can we go get my supplies today? I can start studying immediately if we do."  
"I have a lot of work to do," Akira called from somewhere in the house. "You're old enough to go on your own, right? Take the Gringotts key from my office."  
"Yes, Otōsan," Hana sighed.  
  
The girl lumbered up to her father's office and took a small golden key from one of his desk's drawers, then wandered back downstairs. She took a few quarters from the key bowl and shrugged on her coat, pulling an umbrella from the closet as she left. The rain fell hard, and Hana attempted to ignore it as she waited for the next bus at the end of the street. After ten minutes in the rain, Hana hopped onto the red city bus and sat close to the front, watching the turns and the roads the driver was taking to pass the time.   
  
She ran into the rain again a half-hour later, but only for a few seconds until she was inside the Leaky Cauldron. She weaved her way through the drunk masses and the thick smoke all the war to the bar where she said hello to Tom, and asked him to open up the gate for her. The barman took her to the back, and after a few short taps on a brick wall, the barrier to Diagon Alley opened up. Hana thanked the barman and went through.  
  
The rain had let up by then, or maybe it was clear skies only for Diagon Alley by some form of enchantment. Hana took a look at her list again and began her trek through the streets.   
  
A dim light shone on a stack of cauldrons outside the nearest shop. Cauldrons – All Sizes – Copper, Brass, Pewter, Silver – Self-Stirring – Collapsible said a sign hanging over them. Hana sometimes wished she had more eyes to look at everything. She turned her head in every direction as she walked up the street, trying to look at everything at once: the shops, the things outside them, the people doing their shopping. A plump woman outside an apothecary was shaking her head as they passed, saying, ' _Dragon liver, seventeen Sickles an ounce, they're mad._ ' A low, soft hooting came from a dark shop with a sign saying _Eeylops Owl Emporium – Tawny, Screech, Barn, Brown and Snowy_. Several boys of about Hana's age had their noses pressed against a window with broomsticks in it. There were shops selling robes, shops selling telescopes and strange silver instruments Hana had never seen before, windows stacked with barrels of bat spleens and eels' eyes, tottering piles of spell books, quills and rolls of parchment, potion bottles and globes of the moon.  
  
A short ways away was a very crooked building with a white marble facade. The first floor tilted to the left, the second to the right, but the interior was as straight as a bullet, with Goblins handling piles upon piles of gold and silver. Hana made her way to the main desk at the end of the hall, which stood at twice her height. She cleared her throat to get the Goblin's attention, but he didn't move.  
  
"I'm sorry, I've come a very long way, Sir, and I'd very much like to access my father's vault."  
The Goblin looked down at her.  
"Very well."  
  
The Goblin called for another who was holding a giant lantern. Hana handed him her key, and they walked down a corridor where the lamp was to be used as a headlight for a very rickety looking mining cart. She and the Goblin got in, and the wagon jolted forward, going down a twisting and turning metal track. After passing a waterfall of all things, they stopped at a vault labelled 523, which the Goblin unlocked, granting Hana access to her father's respectable amount of funds. She filled her loose change pouch with a few handfuls of galleons and then returned to the surface and onto the bustling cobblestone street. The girl rechecked her list. Seeing the amount of things she had to buy, Hana opted to go buy herself a bigger backpack than she had at home.   
  
"A nice leather one ought to do the trick," she muttered to herself.   
  
With that purchase out of the way, Hana made her way to Madam Malkin's Robes for All Occasions to get herself fitted for her robes. While the jovial woman was talking to herself, Hana kept glancing to the dull greys of the Hogwarts Uniform, and she ached to wear the colourful robes that they offered at Mahoutokoro. She wondered if she'd be allowed to embroider something on the hems to make them more colourful.  
  
Hana parted with a few galleons and left the shop with a new uniform that fit her correctly. The closest shop that she needed to visit was Flourish and Blotts, and so she purchased all of the necessary books and stationery that she'd need throughout the year, even splurging on a nicer quill to write with. Before leaving she asked one of the shop keepers to place an extension charm on her bag so that all her books would fit, and they gladly did after she'd promised to buy all her reading material from them. On her way to Ollivander's, she passed by the Magical Menagerie. She knew her father might straight-up murder her for it, but Hana couldn't resist the beautiful blue eyes of the cat splayed out in the shop's window display.   
  
Moments later, Haru the Tonkinese cat was walking beside Hana down the street, and they entered Ollivanders together. With a lazy meow, Haru settled himself by the shop's window and waited as Hana waltzed up to the counter. She ran a small silver bell, and out of the back came a man with greying hair and bright blue eyes. He smiled at her, and for some reason, Hana was weary of it.  
  
"Well, hello there. What's your name?" he said in a soft voice.  
"Hana Yukimura," the girl replied confidently.  
"Yukimura, Yukimura... I don't think I know that name."  
"I came from Japan five years ago, so that's normal."  
"Japan, eh? I wonder if my good old British wands will suit you..."  
  
They tried wand after wand, but nothing was truly working. Hana ended up making a few jars explode, some books fly off shelves, even made something in the back of the store whistle a constant high-pitched noise.   
  
"I do own a few Eastern-made wands sent to me by a dear friend... perhaps I could part with one."  
"Oh, no, I could not possibly!"  
"Hush now, it would be of more use to you than it is to me, sitting in its box at the very back of my shop," Ollivander said, heading towards the furthest part of his establishment and picking out a box from the very bottom shelf. "It is made of Cherry wood, with a Kappa scale core. Give it a wave, will you?"  
  
Hana observed the patterned wood wand for a moment before picking it up, but even before waving it, she felt a rush of warmth go through her body, and a light wind tousled her dark hair. She blinked a few times, looking directly at the wand, then up at Ollivander who was smiling softly.  
  
"I told you it would be of better use in your hands."  
"Why didn't any other wand work? Is it because I am not from here?"  
"The wand chooses the wizard, Hana. It is hard to say why this particular wand chose you, but Cherry is a rare wand wood that does some terrifyingly great magic in the right... or wrong hands."  
"And the Kappa scales?"  
"I am not quite sure if I am honest. However, the friend who sent me this particular wand seemed to be very adept at Transfiguration and offensive spells."  
"Fascinating," Hana muttered. She reached into her jacket and pulled out her pouch of money. "How much do I owe you, Mr Ollivander?"  
"Oh, please, if I had made it myself, there would have been a price tag on it, but since it was given to me, I couldn't possibly charge you for it."  
"Wait, so, you are giving me a wand? For free?"  
"I suppose that I am."  
  
Hana grinned and thanked the shopkeeper a million times before stuffing her wand into her boot and waltzing out the shop, Haru on her heels. The rest of the equipment was easy to find and quick to purchase until they got to the apothecary to stock up on essential potion ingredients. There was an infinite amount of different potion ingredients, all labelled and waiting to be weighted behind the counter of the shop. Hana listed off the ingredients and the amounts that she needed and wandered the shop as she waited, staring at jars filled with grotesque creatures and objects, which enlarged or shrunk depending on the angle you looked at them.  
  
Hana heard a bell, signalling that someone else had entered the shop. She heard a few words in a familiar foreign language, then some shuffling, which ended up being a boy her age being shoved out of the way by what looked like to be his mother. Immediately, the woman began demanding service despite the shopkeeper being with Hana's order. She pulled a face at the woman and walked up to the counter.  
  
"I'm afraid the shopkeeper is busy with my order, ma'am, so there is no point in yelling at him. If you're impatient, you can go to the apothecary on Knockturn Alley, it's rarely busy this time of day."  
  
The woman huffed and silenced herself. Hana smiled and returned to the shelves she was perusing only to find the boy nearby chuckling.   
  
"Should you be laughing? Isn't that your mother?" Hana asked, an eyebrow raised.  
"Sorry, I just don't get to see many people go against her in any way," the boy said softly, looking to the ground. "If they do it's usually my brothers and they get hit with a wooden spoon."  
"A wooden spoon?"  
"Yeah, Chinese mothers, you know?"  
"No, I don't know. I'm Japanese, I got hit with a sushi-rolling mat."  
"Don't know what's worse." He looked at the supplies she was carrying. "Going to Hogwarts?"  
"Yes. And so are you, I imagine," Hana said. She held out a hand. "Hana Yukimura."  
"Noah Xiang," the boy replied, shaking her hand.   
The shopkeeper called out to Hana. She turned back to Noah before leaving.  
"I look forward to seeing you around Hogwarts, Noah."


	2. Hogwarts

**September 1, 1971**

Haru meowed lazily as he wandered through King's Cross station, weaving through hundreds of pairs of legs. He was Hana's only company as she made her way to Platform 9 ¾, as her father had 'important business to attend to' early this morning. However, Hana was going to be late if she didn't shake off the security guard trying to catch Haru. Loose cats in a train station was a violation of specific codes the girl wasn't aware of nor cared about. A mirthful laugh made it's way to everyone's ears as Hana ran across the uneven tiles, pushing her trolley ahead of her, it's left front wheel creaking as it went. And when she and Haru crossed the barrier, running straight through the wall between the muggle platforms nine and ten, the girl let out a satisfied sigh and slowed to a jog. 

In striking contrast to Britain's National Rail system, the Hogwarts Express took the form of a large red, steam engine. Smoke from the engine drifted over the heads of the chattering crowd, while cats of every colour wound here and there between their legs. Owls hooted to one another in a disgruntled sort of way over the chatter and the scraping of massive trunks. Hana reached into her pocket and gave Haru a small treat before whispering something to him, then he climbed into the train and out of sight. Hana smiled, satisfied, then turned to the man who was loading trunks underneath the train, and slid him her own, keeping a few items with her for the journey. She smiled at him before running off towards the entrance to the locomotive. 

The first few carriages were packed with students, some hanging out of the window to talk to their families, some fighting over seats. A small crowd surrounded a boy with bright red hair. He lifted the lid of a box in his arms, and the people around him shrieked and yelled as something inside poked out a long, hairy leg. Hana chuckled and pressed on through the crowd until she found an empty compartment near the end of the train. She sat down next to the window and pulled out her cloak from her messenger bag, as well as half a dozen spools of wool in various colours. With the reply to the acceptance letter, Hana had asked if she _was_ allowed to do some embroidery on the edges of her uniform. She would start with tracing and the colour white, as the person who responded to her told her not to use colour until she was sorted into her house. Then she'd be able to use the colours which represented her house. 

A whistle sounded, and the train began to move. Hana could hear the last of the compartment doors slide and slam shut, but hers slid open. She lifted her white chalk pencil and looked up towards the door. 

"Hello, Noah!" she beamed, bowing slightly out of habit.

The boy looked up from the ground as if seeing her for the first time, dark eyes wide in near panic. He stood in the doorway for a short while until someone outside bumped into him, and he stumbled inside. Noah smiled sheepishly at Hana and slid the compartment door shut, taking a seat in front of the girl.

"Hey Hana," Noah said softly.   
"Have you read any of the books we got for school?"

Noah nodded, and Hana's eyes brightened.

"What are you most excited for? I can't wait for Potions and Transfiguration!"  
"I'm looking forward to Transfiguration, too. It's probably the hardest branch of magic, and I need to prove to my parents that Hogwarts is just as good as Mahoutokoro."  
"Mahoutokoro? You weren't born here?"  
"Yeah, but my older brothers weren't. Two of my brothers went to Mahoutokoro and graduated. Jim started there, but he's in his fifth year at Hogwarts now."

While they had been talking, the train had carried them out of London, and they were now speeding past fields full of cows and sheep. They were quiet for a time, watching the fields and lanes flick pass or Hana's beginnings of embroidery. Around half-past twelve there was a great clattering outside in the corridor, and a smiling, dimpled woman slid back their door.

"Anything off the cart, dears?" she said.

The kids got a bit of everything, deciding it was the best opportunity to eat all the sweets they wanted because surely they didn't serve this kind of stuff at mealtimes. Noah and Hana spent another few hours goggling down pumpkin pasties, little cakes, chocolate frogs and even some every flavour beans, which really were every flavour - Hana had bitten into the corner of an earwax flavoured bean. 

The countryside now flying past the window was becoming wilder. The neat fields had gone. Now there were woods, twisting rivers, and dark green hills. Someone's cat was hissing outside the compartment, and Hana looked at it just in time to see a young boy run after it, disappearing down the hall. She chuckled.

An announcement rang across the train, signalling their arrival in less than a half-hour. Hana and Noah looked outside. It was getting dark. They could see mountains and forests under a deep purple sky. Hana finished her row of white stitching, staring at it proudly, then put away all her thread and needles back into her bag. It wasn't long after that that the train began to slow down and another announcement told the old and new students to leave all their luggage in the train, for it would be brought to their dormitories for them. Noah and Hana swung on their cloaks as the train came to a full stop. People pushed their way toward the door and out on to a small, dark platform. Hana shivered in the cold night air. Then a lamp came bobbing over the heads of the students.

"First years! First years over here!" said a rather large old man. "C'mon, follow me - any more first years? Mind your step, now! First years follow me!"

Slipping and stumbling, all the first-year students followed the man who'd later introduced himself as Ogg, the Keeper of Keys and Grounds, down what seemed to be a steep, narrow path. It was so dark on either side of them that Hana thought there must be thick trees there. Nobody spoke much, but there was a collective sound of amazement when they finally saw Hogwarts castle. The narrow path had opened suddenly onto the edge of a great black take. Perched atop a high mountain on the other side, its windows sparkling in the starry sky was a vast castle with many turrets and towers.

"No more than four to a boat!" Ogg called, pointing to a fleet of little boats sitting in the water by the shore. Noah and Hana were followed into their boat by two students who'd introduced themselves as Remus Lupin and Mary MacDonald. "Everyone in? Right then -- FORWARD!"

And the fleet of little boats moved off all at once, gliding across the lake, which was as smooth as glass. Everyone was silent, staring up at the magnificent castle overhead. It towered over them as they sailed nearer and nearer to the cliff on which it stood. As they reached the cliff, the students all bent their heads, and the little boats carried them through a curtain of ivy that hid a wide opening in the cliff face. They were carried along a dark tunnel, which seemed to be taking them right underneath the castle until they reached a kind of underground harbour, where they clambered out onto rocks and pebbles. They walked up a flight of stone steps and crowded around the huge, oak front door which was knocked three times by Ogg.

The door swung open at once. A tall, black-haired witch in emerald-green robes stood there. She had a very stern face, and Hana's first thought was that this was not someone to cross in the slightest. She pulled the door wide. The entrance hall was so big you could have fit the whole of Hana's house in it. The stone walls were lit with flaming torches like the ones at Gringotts, the ceiling was too high to make out, and a magnificent marble staircase facing them led to the upper floors. They followed Professor McGonagall, as Ogg had called her, across the flagstone floor. Hana could hear the drone of hundreds of voices from a doorway to the right, but Professor McGonagall showed the first years into a small, empty chamber off the hall. They crowded in, standing somewhat closer together than they would usually have done, peering about nervously. The little Japanese girl was rather excited, though: finally, things were getting interesting.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. "The start-of-term banquet will begin shortly, but before you take your seats in the Great Hall, you will be sorted into your houses. The Sorting is a very important ceremony because, while you are here, your House will be something like your family within Hogwarts. You will have classes with the rest of your House, sleep in your house dormitory, and spend free time in your House common room.  
"The four houses are called Gryffindor, Hufflepuff, Ravenclaw, and Slytherin. Each House has its own noble history, and each has produced outstanding witches and wizards. While you are at Hogwarts, your triumphs will earn your house points, while any rule-breaking will lose house points. At the end of the year, the house with the most points is awarded the house cup, a great honour. I hope each of you will be a credit to whichever house becomes yours.  
"The Sorting Ceremony will take place in a few minutes in front of the rest of the school. I suggest you all smarten yourselves up as much as you can while you are waiting."

Her eyes lingered for a moment on a boy's cloak, which was fastened under his left ear, and on Noah's untamed hair. 

"I shall return when we are ready for you," said Professor McGonagall. "Please wait quietly."

She left the chamber. 

"How exactly do they sort us?" Hana asked, looking over to Noah. "Is it some sort of test?"  
"I don't think so. My brother said it involved some kind of song, though."

McGonagall soon returned and demanded the students form a line. Hana stood behind Noah, and they walked out of the chamber, back across the hall, and through a pair of double doors into the Great Hall. Hana's grin widened, if that was even possible, as she could have never imagined such a strange and splendid place. It was lit by thousands and thousands of candles that were floating in midair over four long tables, where the rest of the students were sitting. These tables were laid with glittering golden plates and goblets. At the top of the hall was another long table where the teachers were sitting. Professor McGonagall led the first-years up there so that they came to a halt in a line facing the other students, with the teachers behind them. The hundreds of faces staring at them looked like pale lanterns in the flickering candlelight. Dotted here and there among the students, the ghosts shone misty silver. Mainly to avoid all the staring eyes, Noah looked upward and saw a velvety black ceiling dotted with stars. He nudged Hana, and she looked up as well.

Though she quickly looked down again as Professor McGonagall silently placed a four-legged stool in front of the first years. On top of the seat, she put a pointed wizard's hat. This hat was patched and frayed and extremely dirty. For a few seconds, there was complete silence. Then the hat twitched. A rip near the brim opened wide like a mouth -- and the hat began to sing:

_Oh, you may not think I'm pretty,  
But don't judge on what you see,  
I'll eat myself if you can find  
A smarter hat than me._

_You can keep your bowlers black,  
Your top hats sleek and tall,  
For I'm the Hogwarts Sorting Hat  
And I can cap them all._

_There's nothing hidden in your head  
The Sorting Hat can't see,  
So try me on, and I will tell you  
Where you ought to be._

_You might belong in Gryffindor,  
Where dwell the brave at heart,  
Their daring, nerve, and chivalry  
Set Gryffindors apart;_

_You might belong in Hufflepuff,  
Where they are just and loyal,  
Those patient Hufflepuffis are true  
And unafraid of toil;_

_Or yet in wise old Ravenclaw,  
if you've a ready mind,  
Where those of wit and learning,  
Will always find their kind;_

_Or perhaps in Slytherin  
You'll make your real friends,  
Those cunning folk use any means  
To achieve their ends._

_So put me on! Don't be afraid!  
And don't get in a flap!  
You're in safe hands (though I have none)  
For I'm a Thinking Cap!_

The whole hall burst into applause as the hat finished its song. It bowed to each of the four tables and then became quite still again. Professor McGonagall now stepped forward, holding a long roll of parchment.

"When I call your name, you will put on the hat and sit on the stool to be sorted," she said. "Aubrey, Bertram!"

A pink-faced boy with blond hair stumbled out of line, put on the hat, which fell right down over his eyes, and sat down. There was a moments pause, where the hat and the boy whispered to each other, and then it shouted 'Hufflepuff' in a loud voice. The table on the right cheered and clapped as Bertram went to sit down at the Hufflepuff table. Harry saw the ghost of the Fat Friar waving merrily at her.

"Black, Sirius!"

Hana didn't quite understand why everyone was whispering this boy's name as he strut up to the stool and put on the hat. He had striking grey eyes and lustrous black hair, and a confident smirk on his face, which only grew when the Sorting Hat shouted 'Gryffindor', much to the outrage of Slytherin and shock of everyone else. Nevertheless, Gryffindor House welcomed him warmly. Hana made a note to ask Noah about this later.

"Bones, Amelia!"

Once again, the hat shouted 'Hufflepuff', and Amelia scuttled off to sit next to Bertram.

"Boot, David!"

'Ravenclaw', the hat called. The table second from the left clapped this time; several Ravenclaws stood up to shake hands with David as he joined them. 'Brocklehurst, Olivia' went to Ravenclaw too, but 'Brown, Kelly' became the first new Gryffindor, and the table on the far left exploded with cheers. 'Bulstrode, Alfia' then became a Slytherin. Another Hufflepuff was sorted, but this one took a little longer than the others. That last one had sad a full minute on the stool before he was sorted. The was another handful of students before a name she recognised was called.

"Lupin, Remus!"

The timid boy stepped up to the stool and sat down. He was taller than every one Hana had seen so far and far more shabby than anyone else as well. Maybe it had something to do with the few scars that littered his face. The hat declared him a Gryffindor, and the look of relief that washed over his face made Hana smile. The Gryffindor table greeted him warmly, and he took a seat beside Sirius Black. A few moments later, and after a few more names, Noah's name was called, and he was promptly placed into Ravenclaw. Seconds later, Hana's heart skipped a beat.

"Yukimura, Hana!"

Hana practically skipped up to the stool, earning a few odd looks from those remaining to sort. Noah only smiled. The girl sat down and pulled the hat over her head, which fell just above her eyes. She felt the hat jerk to life, and a rough whisper made its way to her ears.

"Japanese, I see. How unusual... Your mind is bright, and you crave to distinguish yourself from others... you want knowledge, yes, but you've got that desire for adventure running through you... Hm. I know just where to put you."


	3. House of Ravenclaw

"Ravenclaw!"

There was something so intoxicating about an excited child. They bounced, they pounced, they squealed, and they ran. As their grins got wider everyone about them started to smile - even the grumps who loved to complain. That's how Hana currently was - bouncy and grinning from ear to ear as she confidently waltzed over to the cheering Ravenclaw table, as if she was bursting with liquid sunshine from within. There were many pats on the back and handshakes when Hana sat down beside Noah, and her smile didn't dim a single bit for the rest of the night. She had watched as many Gryffindor, and Hufflepuff get sorted, a few Slytherin, one in particular that piqued her interest because of the twitchy way he walked, and another few Ravenclaw.

At last, with all the children gone, Hana could see the Head Table. At the end nearest her sat Ogg, who caught her eye and nodded respectfully at her. And there, in the centre of the High Table, in a large gold chair, sat Albus Dumbledore. The girl recognised him at once from the chocolate frog cards she'd unwrapped in the train. Dumbledore's silver hair was the only thing in the whole hall that shone as brightly as the ghosts. 

Professor McGonagall rolled up her scroll and took the Sorting Hat away. Hana looked down at her empty gold plate, and her stomach growled. She had only just realised how hungry she was. The pumpkin pasties and other sweets seemed ages ago. Albus Dumbledore had gotten to his feet. He was beaming at the students, his arms opened wide as if nothing could have pleased him more than to see them all there.

"Welcome," he said. "Welcome to a new year at Hogwarts! Before we begin our banquet, I would like to say a few words. Teaching is only demonstrating what is possible. Learning is making it possible for yourself. Enjoy!"

Hana smiled as he sat back down. Everybody clapped and cheered. All of a sudden, the dishes in front of the Ravenclaws were piled with food. She had never seen so many things to eat on one table: roast beef, roast chicken, pork chops and lamb chops, sausages, bacon and steak, boiled potatoes, roast potatoes, fries, Yorkshire pudding, peas, carrots, gravy, ketchup, and, for some strange reason, peppermint humbugs. Hana and Noah looked up at each other, wide-eyed and smiling, and took a bit of everything though Noah left out the peppermint humbugs. 

"So, it's Hana Yukimura, right?" a Ravenclaw over to her left said. He had shoulder-length white hair the texture of candy floss and seemed slightly cross-eyed. "That's an unusual name."  
"It's Japanese," Hana said after swallowing a big bite of lamb. "And you are?"  
"Japanese! Uh, no, I'm Xenophilius Lovegood!"

Hana rose an eyebrow. Was her name weird? 

Xenophilius stood up with his plate and squeezed himself between a girl and Noah.

"Tell me, did you ever see any Kappa or did you go to Mahoutokoro?"  
"Uh, no and no."  
"Shame," Xenophilius said sadly, getting up and returning to his original seat.

Hana turned to Noah and pulled a face, which made him laugh. They kept the conversation going between themselves, until someone overheard her talking about her hometown, and then suddenly more and more people joined in. They all talked through supper, and when it was over, and dessert had been served, the conversation moved to their heritage.

"I'm a boring old Pure-Blood," Hana said, mouth full.  
"I'm a Pure-blood too," Noah said. "My mother isn't a big fan of muggles. I'm more like my dad, though - he likes muggles."  
"Half-Blood, myself," another said.  
"Muggle-born, here!"

Then the conversation was interrupted by Dumbledore, who announced that there was no magic allowed in the hallways unless it was for studying, the Dark Forest was forbidden unless the students wanted to die and that Quidditch trials were to be held next week. Hana was disappointed when Xenophilius told her first years weren't allowed on the Quidditch team. Then the Ravenclaw Prefect, Chester Davies, demanded that all Ravenclaw rise from their seats and follow him to their new Common Room.

The Ravenclaw and the Gryffindor followed each other most of the way, out of the Great Hall and up the marble staircase, which allowed Hana and Noah to converse with Remus and Mary, the two students they'd shared a boat with earlier. Then they split off into opposite directions, climbed more staircases, all the while staring at talking and moving portraits of witches and wizards. Then they climbed a set of spiral stairs, and at the end of it was a big oak door with a decent sized eagle-shaped knocker. Davies took the knocker and banged twice, which made the Eagle's beak move with spoken words.

"I am the black child of a white father, a wingless bird, flying even to the clouds of heaven. I give birth to tears of mourning in pupils that meet me, even though there is no cause for grief, and at once on my birth, I am dissolved into air. What am I?"

Hana frowned for a moment as Davies turned to everyone and asked them to answer. This was always going to be the way to enter the common room, and while quite amusing, Hana found it impractical if she ever needed to rush in and out. She'd have to double-check all her things before leaving the Common Room.

"Smoke?" Noah said tentatively.  
"Of course," the knocker said, and then the door swung open.

Hana's dark eyes opened wide at the sight of the Ravenclaw Common Room. It was an ample, circular room, airier than any the girl had seen so far at Hogwarts, even more so than the Great Hall. Graceful arched windows punctuated the walls, which were hung with blue and bronze silks: by day, the Ravenclaws would have a spectacular view of the surrounding mountains. The ceiling was domed and painted with stars, which were echoed in the midnight-blue carpet. There were tables, chairs and bookcases, and in a niche opposite the door stood a tall statue of white marble. Davies directed the boys and girls to a door beside the statue of Rowena Ravenclaw which lead up to their dormitories. Another spiral staircase led them up to the dormitories that, much to her surprise, weren't separated by gender. Hana and Noah were lucky to be in the same dorm room, and they would share it alongside twins named Tulip and Violet, as well as a boy named Nathan. 

Hana's things had already been placed inside their room, beside a beautiful white four-poster bed adorned with sheets and draperies of different shades of blue. Haru was lying lazily on her bed, purring softly after receiving a few scratches on his head. Hana began to unpack her clothes and stuff them into a small wardrobe at the end of her bed. She pulled out a few pictures and placed them on her nightstand but kept one in hand. With a little sigh, Hana placed the image of her mother on the deep windowsill next to her bed, and beside it a few small candles she'd brought with her. She said a few words to her mother then found herself yawning. The excitement of today had turned into sleepiness, and the soft sounds of Haru purring were putting her to sleep. So, Hana pulled out her pyjamas and headed to the adjacent bathroom to slip them on and brush her teeth before she climbed into her comfy bed. She said goodnight to Noah and the others through the draperies she'd closed, and soon they all fell into a deep comfortable sleep, smiles on their faces.

The next morning at the Ravenclaw table, as Hana and Noah ate their porridge and blueberries, they learned from Xenophilius that there were a hundred and forty-two staircases at Hogwarts: wide, sweeping ones; narrow, rickety ones; some that led somewhere different on a Friday; some with a vanishing step halfway up that you had to remember to jump. Then some doors wouldn't open unless you asked politely, or tickled them in exactly the right place, and doors that weren't really doors at all, but solid walls just pretending. Hana chuckled at all the unusual information being given to her, but it seemed to worry Noah more than anything, who was terrified of getting lost.

"Do not worry, I have an impeccable sense of direction," Hana reassured. "You need it when your only point of reference is a rice paddy that looks exactly like the last."

The two friends noticed, as they headed to Charms, their first class, that the people in the portraits kept going to visit each other, and Noah was sure the coats of armour could walk and talk. He found that the ghosts didn't help, either. It was always a nasty shock when one of them glided suddenly through a door you were trying to open. Peeves the Poltergeist was worth two locked doors and a trick staircase if you met him when you were on your way to class. He would drop wastepaper baskets on your head, pull rugs from under your feet, pelt you with bits of chalk, or sneak up behind you, invisible, grab your nose, and screech. Hana found him rather annoying, but she and Noah got a tip from a friendly Gryffindor by the name of Lily Evans, that if you told him that the Bloody Baron was on his way, he'd fly in the opposite direction. 

Speaking of Lily Evans, she and the two friends were all heading for Charms that morning, in a classroom on the third floor. The centre was cleared, and the desks were lined against the walls, facing each other. At the end of the class was a desk with dozens of piles of books surrounding it. Standing on one of those piles was the new Ravenclaw Head of House, Professor Filius Flitwick. He was very short, probably because there was some Goblin ancestry in his family, and he wore a sharp black suit, with glasses hanging at the tip of his nose. Hana and Noah sat beside a boy she'd recognised as Sirius Black, who was avidly talking to a boy with unkempt black hair that could rival Noah's. 

"Welcome, welcome - Ravenclaws and Gryffindors!" the professor squeaked. "Welcome to Charms where you will learn everything from Levitation to the Knockback Jinx in your first year."  
"Oi, you reckon he's a midget?" one of the boys beside Hana said.  
"Come on. Obviously he's part Goblin," the other answered.  
"D'you think she knows? She looks smart."  
"Oi, you."

Hana felt a tap on her shoulder. She turned to face Sirius Black.

"D'you know if he's a midget or part Goblin?"  
"How about you ask him yourself?" Hana said curtly.  
"Hm, fair enough. Hey, Prof--"  
"Not now, you baka!"


	4. Classes, Classes, Classes

The Charms class went by quickly. They'd begun studying the theory for the Levitation Charm and the Wand Lighting Spell, both looking quite simple to the pair of Ravenclaws, Noah and Hana. Their Head of House, the part-Goblin as it were, seemed like a splendid little man, favouring his students only a little over the Gryffindors. Except maybe the two boys who were seated next to the pair. Hana had to dodge several paper balls thrown by the boy with messy hair when Flitwick wasn't looking. However, when one of them hit Noah on the side of the head, Hana chucked the ball of paper at the teacher and blamed it on the boys. It earned her a few grumbles from them, but Noah found it funny.

Transfiguration was next, and Hana had to endure the pestering of the two boys all the way to class. However, Hana was lucky that the Transfiguration teacher favoured no one, even though she was the Gryffindor's Head of House. Minerva McGonagall didn't let a single paper ball fly past her without it burning in midair, and she'd already given the two boys detention on their first day. They didn't seem to mind, though, as they kept at it the entire class, bright smiles on their faces.

Unfortunately, Noah and Hana parted ways after that, as they didn't share the same History of Magic class. Hana's gaze wandered across the old stone walls as she made her way to Classroom 4F on the first floor where her lessons were to be held. She weaved through the crowds of students, careful not to bump into anyone, but nearly fell flat on her face when the same duo of boys barreled through the crowd and threw themselves inside the classroom she was headed to. Hana let out an audible groan. If she had any more classes with these two clowns, she'd jump off the Astronomy Tower. 

Upon entering the classroom, Hana noticed the tightness of it, as it only contained enough desk space for eight students. No wonder History of Magic was separated into two groups. The walls were lined with bookshelves caked in dust, a giant globe took up most of the room beside the teacher's empty desk, and the blackboard was blank but dusty as if no one had washed off the chalk for years. Hana sneezed, and a puff of dust swirled before her. Through it, she noticed that the two boys had taken their seats at the back, feet up on their desks. Hana rolled her eyes and spied the other students that were there. She spotted Remus' familiar face and went up to him. 

"Is this seat taken?" Hana said with a charming smile, standing beside the empty seat.  
"Why would it be taken?" Remus replied, genuinely confused.  
"Well, maybe you're saving it for someone...?"  
"Oh! No, no I'm not - go right ahead."

Hana chuckled and seated herself beside Remus, taking out her books and quill. Students kept filing in, way beyond the capacity of eight, which led to students sitting cross-legged between rows of desks, others standing at the back of the class. It took a while for the teacher to arrive, but when he did, his arrival was met with a gasp of surprise as he came through the dusty blackboard and sat at his desk. In a dreary voice, he introduced himself as Cuthbert Binns, and briefly described the subject. It seemed that, because of his death, he no longer needed to take breaths or pauses, and said everything in a continuous and confusing flow of sentences. It didn't help that he also fell asleep during those bursts of information and woke up talking about something completely different as if he'd been continuing his speech while he was sleeping. 

"I guess I'll have to do this class on my own then," Remus whispered beside Hana.  
"I think I might join you on that," she said, glancing at the boy. "There is no way that I'm going to sit through this and drool on my desk like Morecambe and Wise, back there."

Remus let out a chuckle.

"Oi, she thinks we're funny!"

Hana whipped her head around.

"Did your parents never teach you that eavesdropping is rude?" Hana said in a sharp whisper.  
"Hey, anything is more interesting than this ghost dude," the boy with messy hair said.   
"Besides, all my parents taught me was that I had to be in Slytherin and how to hate muggles," Sirius said with a shrug.  
"Oh, is that why everyone was so surprised that you were sorted into Gryffindor?" Hana asked.

Both boys blinked stupidly at her.

"Do you really not know?" the boy said.  
"I'm Japanese. English families and their histories are unknown to me."  
"He's a Black, part of one of the most important wizarding families in England."  
"Don't look so impressed," Sirius said, seeing Hana's raised eyebrow. "The whole lot has been in Slytherin, they hate muggles and are prejudiced as hell on Blood Status."  
"Well, I don't see anything inherently wrong with Slytherin... but I guess you have a different point of view considering your experience." Hana paused and extended her hand. "Hana Yukimura"  
"Sirius Black," the boy said with a chuckle, taking her hand.   
"James Potter," the other said, stealing Hana's hand from Sirius. "Don't let his good looks fool you, let mine instead."  
"Merlin's beard, what are you on, Potter?" Hana said, shaking her head in exasperation. "This is Remus, by the way."  
"Remus Lupin," the scarred boy said with a little wave.  
"Well, Remus Lupin, Hana Yukimura - let's get the hell outta here!" James said enthusiastically, packing his things.   
"What do you think you're doing?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"Leaving. We can go find a place to study ourselves - or we can just goof off."  
"Both of those are against school rules," Remus stated, looking at Hana for backup.

However, the girl was already packing her things.

"I hate rules, Remus. In all honesty, they just get in the way. Besides, if breaking a rule means actually learning something other than random bit and pieces coming from a dead man, then count me in."

With a sigh, Remus packed his things as well, and they waited until Professor Binns fell asleep again to dash out of the classroom. They ran down the halls and out into the courtyard. James and Sirius pelted down the hills, stumbling over their feet, and crashed underneath a large Beech tree by the lake. Initially, they studied, with Hana reading the appropriate chapter aloud, but then their escapade devolved into a game of twenty questions. They'd shared their favourite pastimes, the things they hated the most, and even the fact that James had already fallen in love with Lily Evans. Then their middle names followed, but the boys were outraged to find that Hana didn't have one. 

"I think we'll have to give you one," James laughed.  
"You can't give me a middle name, James."  
"Of course, we can! Or at least an embarrassing nickname," Sirius added. "What's your name mean?"

Hana sighed and rolled her eyes.

"Hana means flower, and Yukimura is a combination of snow and vi--"  
"That's it! I'm calling you Snowflake from now on."  
"You can't be serious!" Hana complained. "I'm not a toddler James Potter!"

* * *

As the weeks went by, Hana quickly found out who James, Sirius and Remus got along with, as the three boys were quite vocal about it. For starters, it seemed as if they got along surprisingly well with Noah, considering he preferred to be alone rather than in a group. However, he usually just ended up reading alongside Remus, so it was all the same in the end, and they'd both sit back and watch the other two boys waste time or practise jinxes on each other for classes. Hana would try to get them to stop, but in the end, she'd just shake her head and laugh with them. Sometimes Sirius would take a few brooms from the stores on the training grounds while Professor Hooch wasn't there, and they'd practise their riding, although Sirius and James were mostly just teaching Hana how to fly in a straight line. 

If there was one thing Hana never entirely understood is why they kept complaining about a kid they called Snivellus. They never wasted a moment to bash on him or to complain about him. Hana didn't know who this Snivellus was, and she never really asked about him either. She simply didn't understand why these jovial young boys held so much hatred towards him. However, Hana didn't care much. It wasn't her business, as this Snivellus had done nothing in particular to her except harass her ears from the mouths of her friends. Sometimes, Hana felt the boys were exaggerating anyways.

At the moment, Hana was gathering her books for her first class, which she'd piled onto her bed, and Noah was trying to get his hair to cooperate in the bathroom. So far he'd used spells and this gel that their roommate Nathan had tossed at him before leaving for his class, but nothing was working to date. Hana put all her essential potion ingredients into her small pewter cauldron before stuffing it down her new leather backpack, with her quills and wand on top. She sighed and playfully rolled her eyes at Noah who was still fiddling with his hair, nearly a handful of pomade on his fingertips, and walked over to him to take it all off and arrange his hair for him. 

"Come on we are going to be late."  
"R-Right."  
"See you later, Haru!"

Hana left the room as Haru let out a lazy meow. Noah gathered his things and followed the girl out of the Common Room. They walked down the spiral staircases and down to the main hall, where they made their way to the Viaduct Entrance and then the access to the dungeons. The duo went down a long, poorly lit spiral staircase that still made Hana anxious even though she'd been going down it for almost two months now, and they came upon the equally gloomy dungeon hall. After a few steps and to their left was the entrance to the potions room. The room was brighter than the rest of the dungeons, something for which Hana was grateful, and the soft dripping of water could be heard if the class was utterly silent. Hana and Noah immediately saw the very large Horace Slughorn at the front of the class, and they took their usual spot behind Lily Evans and Severus Snape. Moments later, the bell rang. 

"Good morning, everyone!" Slughorn said jovially.  
"Good morning, Professor Slughorn," the class replied in various degrees of enthusiasm.  
"Well, that won't do! Try again."  
"Good morning, Professor Slughorn!" everyone repeated more joyfully, though most faces including Hana's and Noah's expressed complete boredom.  
"Much better, much better!"

Hana raised an eyebrow as she stared at the man's moustache. It seemed more lively than usual, this morning. 

"Our last class we reviewed the boring technicalities of the Herbicide Potion, but today we will need our wands, cauldrons and some of the Standard Ingredient for our brewing, so take those out of your bags, please. We will be making the Herbicide potion today. Can anyone remind me the ingredients?"

Hana lazily rose her hand, head held in the other. Noah rose his hand high up, desperate to prove his intelligence. Lily rose her hand, and for a moment, seemed to be telling Severus to do the same, but he never did. A few other students raised their hands, but Slughorn glanced right over them.

"Yes, Miss Evans?"  
"Flobberworm mucus, Horklump juice, Lionfish spines and Standard Ingredient, sir," Lily said.   
"Correct! Five points to Gryffindor," Slughorn smiled. "Now the potion is brewed in two parts, so go to page 26 of your books and begin! The stores are open and available to you - but no wasting! Share if you have too much."

As usual, Hana gathered the ingredients for both herself and Noah, while he brought out their books and opened them to page 26 of _Magical Drafts and Potions_. Hana put eight Lionfish spines into the mortar, and Noah added a few measures of Liquid Potion Starter to both their cauldrons. She stared at the extra Lionfish spines she had taken; why she'd grabbed a handful without thinking was beyond her. Maybe it had to do with the fact someone smelled like wet dog over by the stores. Hana looked up and between Lily and Severus, then poked the boy's shoulder with the tip of her wand. He turned around rather sharply.

"I have some extra Lionfish spines left over. I noticed you hadn't gotten yours yet."

Lily turned and thanked her brightly, and Severus nodded silently taking the Lionfish spines from Hana. She smiled kindly and lowered her gaze back to her book for the next step. Noah was already crushing Standard Ingredient in the same mortar, turning it into a coarse powder and the spines into a fine one. Hana then added three measures of the powder in each of their cauldrons once the liquid was bubbling. The powder melted into the clear liquid, turning it a strange shade of moss green, and then the two waved their wands over their cauldron in the correct manner before leaving their potion to brew until it was a forest green.

Hana and Noah spent the next ten minutes cleaning their station and the remaining brewing time reading ahead in the textbook or simply talking. Slughorn wandered around the desks, looking into cauldrons and pulling faces at things that were incorrect or merely backing away from things near to blow up like the potion of a certain Hufflepuff that exploded nearly every class. When he wandered over to Lily's and Severus' cauldrons, he made no face, and he did the same for Hana and Noah's, which either meant it was excellent or horrible. It was really a fifty-fifty shot, although Hana learned that if her potion was the same colour as Severus' usually it was good. 

"All right, resume your brewing!" Slughorn called to the class.

Noah passed the Horklump juice to Hana after he'd taken some, and she added two measures of it to her cauldron. It was supposed to turn a deep shade of brown, but it didn't seem dark enough to Hana, so she added more until it was the correct shade. She noted in her textbook to add another half measure. Then she turned up the heat and simmered the concoction for ten seconds before reducing the heat and adding two blobs of Flobberworm mucus. She glanced over at Noah who'd gotten some mucus on his hands and was trying to fling it off without success - Slughorn passed by and removed it with a charm. Then he went over to speak avidly with a Slytherin called Rosier.

Noah rolled his eyes and stirred his potion four times, clockwise, as did Hana. Slughorn was the Head of Slytherin House, and although he didn't favour his own students over the other Houses, there were students which he preferred over any other because of either their preexisting fame, rich and noteworthy parents or a rare talent in any Hogwarts subject he deemed worthy. Hana had heard a few Ravenclaw speak of him and a club he'd presumably created, the Slug Club, where students 5th year and above would be invited to lavish dinners and praised for whatever reason. In any case, it was annoying to see him spend so much time with certain students but barely glance at others. 

The time for finishing their potions soon came, and so Noah and Hana waved their wands over their potions one last time. The concoctions bubbled one last time just before they ladled some of the contents into a few crystal phials and placed them in the small phial holder that was provided for examination. As usual, Hana peeked at Severus' potion. Their colours matched. 

"All right, everyone! It seems that you've all managed to brew a potion of Acceptable quality or higher, except for you mister Jones - I don't know why your brews keep combusting, I'm afraid. Leave the displayed phials to me, and I will grade them alongside half a parchment on the Herbicide potion that you will hand in next week."

The bell rang, and most students filed out of the classroom. Noah had another class to go to, so Hana refused to let him help clean up and did it herself so he wouldn't be late - because he'd likely get lost again. Hana cleaned up the mortar and pestle, as well as both cauldrons which she placed in her bag. The work table was spotless in under ten minutes, and the girl swung her bag over her shoulders, grabbed her book and exited the classroom as well. She tried to stuff her wand down her robes as she walked down the gloomy corridor, but of course, looking down at your robes wasn't a beneficial way to watch where you were going. It took only a few seconds for the person she crashed into to lean forward enough for all the things they were holding to crash to the ground. Books spread everywhere, as did rolls of parchment and a few quills.

"Ah! _Gomen'nasai_!" Hana gasped, stuffing her wand in whatever pocket she did and launching herself to the ground to pick up what she'd knocked. With her left hand shaking, Hana stacked a hefty pile of books and stood, facing the person she'd bumped into. "Here, I'm sorry. I wasn't looking where I was going."  
"Oh, it's you," Severus said in a slightly condescending tone.

Anger seemed to disappear from his face as he saw Hana, and he bent over and picked up the rest of his things, stuffing them in his bag.

"What is with that tone? I said I was sorry _and_ I got your books," Hana said in a critical tone.  
"What's up with your hand?" Severus said in an equally critical tone.

Hana looked down to her hand and quickly hid it in her robes.

"That's none of your business."

Severus huffed and walked off. She stared at the back of his head, indignant, and roughly exhaled through her nose. She stormed back up to Severus, following him to his class.

"You know, I thought you were okay," she stated. "But maybe you're just an arrogant prick like everyone says you are."  
"And maybe you're just a dumb Jap," Severus said sharply. Hana gasped. "Struck a nerve, did I?"  
"It is statistically impossible for my nerves to be struck by you, Snape."  
"You have no way of proving that."  
"You have no way of disproving that."  
"You're just mad because you know I'm right."  
"About what? The fact that this conversation is making you late? Then yes, you are right."  
"You're mad."  
"And you're a grumpy old man."  
"I'm 11."  
"Not in your soul, you are not. Wait, do you even have one?"  
"FINE!"

Severus roared, turning back to the girl.

"Yukimura, you win! My class is there, and I have no further interest in arguing with you today."  
"Good. We'll pick this up in Herbology tomorrow, then," Hana said with a wry smile, then turned away.  
"What-- NO! I said I didn't want to argue anymore!" Severus shouted, standing in front of the doorway to his class.  
"You said you didn't want to argue today. Therefore we'll continue tomorrow," the girl said, turning to face him. She continued in a deep mocking voice, "You have an engagement Mr Snape, do not be late."


	5. The Accusations Fly

Hana learned the hard way that rude awakenings weren't merely things you found in books or movies. It seemed that Tulip and Violet didn't get along much if they spent too much time together, and mornings where Violet woke up earlier than usual were the occasions where Hana was woken up to the sounds of arguing girls trying to share a bathroom. This morning, as she turned to her side to look into the bathroom, Hana was even graced with the spectacle of hair pulling and angry jumping and stomping, which oddly reminded her of the mating dance of the cranes from back home in Japan.

Hana only rose from her bed once the girls were heading out, the sounds of bickering disappearing behind the closed doors. She groaned and sat up, stretching her limbs before shutting herself up in the bathroom for a quick shower and to change into her uniform. By the time she'd exited the bathroom, Noah and their roommate Nathan had already changed into their uniforms, and the both of them were attempting once again to tame Noah's hair. However, out of annoyance, Nathan simply ruffled it up. 

"Doesn't it look better all messed up, Yukimura?"

Hana looked up from her necktie and to Noah's messy hair. She narrowed her eyes a little, contemplating.

"I don't disagree. The crazy bedhead suits you."  
"See? There you go. Now _I_ can save money on hair gel."  
"Wait, Nathan--"

Noah's pleas went unanswered though, as the boy simply shrugged and walked out the door. Noah groaned and hung his head back, and Hana chuckled lightly. Her friend glared at her.

"This isn't funny. My hair is a rat's nest, and it needs to be tamed. If my mother was here--"  
"But she isn't here, Noah. Embrace the crazy."  
"Okay, fine, but if James says _anything_ about me emulating his 'style', I'm going to cry."

Hana rose her hands up in defence and grabbed her back before exiting the dorm room. Noah followed suit, and they walked down the dozens of staircases at the base of Ravenclaw Tower, then down the stairwell and into the Great Hall for breakfast. 

The start of term feast had been an amalgam of all things British; however, as Ravenclaw, the students seated alongside Noah and Hana were lucky to have different kinds of food from around the world. There was some dumplings and miso soup nearby for Noah and Hana, stacks of pancakes and waffles in front of a vast majority of students, and there were even some Indian breakfast foods for another few children. Noah helped himself to a small bowl of dumplings and some pumpkin juice, while Hana had tea and a small bowl of miso soup. A simple sip set her straight from the morning's rude awakening - it was almost as good as her mother's. 

Hana's eyes went from Noah's face full of food to a familiar twitchy walk when it crossed her field of vision. Severus had walked into the Great Hall alongside Lily, and the girl couldn't help but smirk. Herbology was their next class, and she definitely hadn't forgotten that Mr Snape had a prior engagement. Though, Hana frowned when the boy's head snapped towards the Gryffindor table. She couldn't see anything that merited that look, or Lily's reaction, so Hana thought nothing of it and flicked a piece of scone at Noah's forehead.

Once again, Noah and Hana parted ways on their way to class, and Hana sauntered in the direction of the courtyard. Herbology class was located outside, in the humidity of the greenhouses caused by the unnecessarily bright sun. Hana looked up at it both thankful and confused. Couldn't this sun have shone while she was locked up in her house for the past five years? She shrugged. At least it wasn't raining now, and she wouldn't have to dash from the greenhouses to the castle after class later. After the short sun-glaring delay, Hana made her way to class and spied the students. Hana's lips formed into a small smirk, and she made her way towards Severus. The look of annoyance that broke on his face was priceless. 

"Oh, dear God..."  
"I'm flattered that you'd refer to me as God, Severus, however, I don't believe in such fictional characters," Hana said, taking a seat. "Hana will do just fine."

Severus heaved a sigh and took out his equipment for the class just as Madam Pomfrey arrived. Hana did the same, and with a wave of Madam Pomfrey's wand empty clay pots found themselves in front of all the students, four each. Today they were going to begin the planting and caring of plants they'd be able to use throughout their years at Hogwarts, namely those for Potions Class. For now, it was Aconite, Dittany, Nettles and Asphodel, as Madam Pomfrey explained, and she went on to describe different types of soils and fertilisers for at least twenty minutes, during which Hana took notes in her textbook, scribbling them in her native language. Severus glanced at it curiously, then frowned. 

"What is this, gibberish?" he whispered.  
"Margin notes, can't you tell?" Hana said sarcastically.   
"Idiot, I mean the language. What's that, Chinese?"  
"Japanese."  
"Okay?"  
"Not all Asian people are Chinese, Severus."

Hana stared at her left hand. It was trembling again. She chuckled dryly and gently flexed her hand. Moments later the trembling had stunted, and Hana continued taking notes in her copy of _Magical Herbs and Fungi_. Severus kept his eyes on the girl, alternating between her face and the crease on her brow, and her hand with the slight tremble that remained. She looked back up at Madam Pomfrey and listened to her talk on and on about the amount of sunlight and moonlight each plant needed to get daily, and then she finished up with potting methods, leaving the students to their own devices. Hana fetched her dragon-hide gloves from the bottom of her backpack and grabbed a giant bag of potting soil, then a smelly container of dragon dung fertiliser. She recoiled when the scent hit her nostrils.

"And I thought the cows smelled bad..."  
"Tell me," Severus said all of a sudden.   
"Tell you what?" Hana asked, making a mix of the soil and the dung.

She passed the soil bag and dung container to Severus. They busied themselves with their tasks as they spoke.

"Your hand. It keeps shaking."  
"Why?" Hana scoffed. "So you can pretend to care? I'll pass thanks."  
"So what if I don't care. Isn't it enough to be curious?" Severus reasoned, nearly gagging when he opened the dung container in turn.  
"It's not something I'm just going to talk about, Severus. It's... personal."  
"You don't look physically disabled, so is it something wrong with your brain?"  
"Since when are you a medical expert?" Hana said, annoyed.  
"I can read," Severus answered as if it were an obvious response.  
"You can? Wow, that's a surprise."  
"I have a lot of time on my hands at home, dammit, so I read."  
"Homeschooled?"

Severus was silent for a second.

"Sort of. My mother has old books that I read through. She taught me what I need to know."  
"And that included the intricacies of physical and psychosomatic tremors?"  
"You talk too much, Yukimura," Severus said with a sigh.  
"Hana," the girl corrected.   
"Yukimura."  
"Look, even if I did explain it all to you, it would take way too long. Besides, it's way too personal anyway for me to just tell you this when we're elbow-deep in dragon dung, and even if we weren't, I'd probably tell Noah before I'd tell you."

Hana took a deep breath and clenched her hands. They were hiding in a foot of soil, but Severus could tell that her hand was shaking. 

"Sorry."

Severus shrugged.

There were a few minutes of silence between the two, in which Hana carefully planted her Dittany and Nettles and debated whether she'd say anything. In the end, her lips were moving before her brain couldn't tell her to stop.

"The Healers say it's psychosomatic."  
"You disagree?"  
"No. I know it is. It just makes it harder to treat it."  
"What happened?"  
"My mother died."  
"Oh..."  
"Oh?" Hana chuckled. "How very eloquent of you, Severus."

Severus turned to Hana and rose an eyebrow. The laughter had come unexpected.

"What?"  
"You're laughing."  
"My mother has been gone for six years, Severus. I miss her, but it's part of my culture to accept death. Besides, can't you tell? I'm built tough."

Severus rolled his eyes, but Hana noticed the smallest of grins on his face.

"Can I ask you another question? Last one probably."  
"Since when do you need to ask permission? I'm not your superior unless you want to call me God again."  
"You complete dunderhead."  
"Dunderhead? That's a new one," Hana chuckled. "Sorry, go on."  
"Why do you call me Severus?"

Hana snorted in a very unladylike fashion. She covered her face a little out of embarrassment, but she only ended up getting dirt and dung on her cheek instead.

"Because it's your name, you _dunderhead_."  
"Doesn't stop your friends from calling me names..."  
"What - Noah? Severus, the boy barely speaks at all, let alone to you," Hana chuckled, potting up her Aconite and Asphodel roots. "He can't be calling you names."  
"Who's Noah?"  
"The Asian kid I hang out with. With the crazy hair."  
"Oh, that's his name."  
"Not really the point, is it?"

Severus shrugged. 

"You brought it up, kid. Spill."  
"Those idiot Gryffindors!" Severus growled.

Hana rose an eyebrow. She'd seen him irritated before because he was continuously irritated to be perfectly honest, but the sheer anger in his voice was unmistakable. 

"Strutting about the castle like they own the place. _Snivellus_ , this. _Snivellus_ , that."  
"Snivellus?" Hana muttered to herself. "You're..."  
"Oh, so _you do_ know about it!"  
"Well, I've heard them say the same and some... not so very nice things after that, but I--"  
"You're just like that Lupin," Severus spat. "Watch it all happen and do nothing."  
"Wait, wait, slow down, Severus!" Hana urged. "I mean, are you sure?"  
"Am I sure? That's a laugh."  
"Look, look. I'll talk to them, okay?"

Severus scoffed.

"What good will that do? All three of them have heads as inflated as the Hindenburg."  
"Hindenburg?"  
"Giant muggle airship."  
"Oh, okay. That's an adequate metaphor."  
"The point is, their heads are inflated, and there's no way a scrawny little Japanese girl is going to change their minds."  
"Then why'd you bring this up at all?" Hana asked. "Is it just because you like to complain?"

Severus ignored her and went back to his potting. Hana sighed.

"I'll talk to them, Severus, okay?"  
"Whatever."  
" _Baka_ , I'm trying to help you. I'll talk to them, and they better not be doing anything stupid because _watashi wa raise ni karera no hiretsuna shiri o keru tsumoridesu_."  
"Pardon?"  
"I'll kick their butts."  
"Right..."  
"I'm serious, Severus, they have no reason to hate you. And if after I talk some sense into them, if they keep at it, you better tell me, all right?"

Severus scoffed. Hana dropped the soil in her hands and got in the boy's way, glaring at him.

"You'll tell me, right?"  
"Fine."  
"Good," Hana said happily, sitting back down. "Now, pass me the dragon poop, will ya?"


	6. Confrontational

The following morning, a loud thump rang through the Great Hall and made everyone jump up in surprise, professors included. However, seconds later, everyone was rolling their eyes at the source. It was only Hana, who had dropped her unusually heavy stack of books smack dab in the centre of the Gryffindor table. Noah stood quietly behind her and watched as James' glass tipped over, and didn't say a word as Hana sat down between Remus and Sirius and plucked a blueberry off one of their plates.

"Hi, Hana," Remus said, looking both scared and confused.  
"Did you know that a Shakespearean English euphemism for a man's you-know-what is 'wit'?"  
"Uh..."  
"What does that say about Ravenclaw's motto, hm? _Wit beyond measure is a man's greatest treasure_. You know, I think Rowena was onto something because clearly men don't think with their brains."  
"Hana, what are you on?" Sirius asked with a laugh. 

Hana sighed and shook her head.

"Sorry, I'm just terrible at mornings, especially when twins are screaming in your ears an hour before sunrise," she said as she poured herself a cup of tea. "Noah, are you going to sit down or just stand there and look pretty?"

Noah shuffled in on the other side of the table and sat beside James who was still mopping up pumpkin juice. Hana had told Noah what Severus had said about James, Sirius and Remus the day prior. Unfortunately for him, he had to wait for anything to come to light, and that made him more nervous than usual. Hana was ready to believe Severus of course, just not without proof. She wasn't simply going to waltz up to them, declare them bullies and renounce their friendship. No, no, no. Today in flying class, Hana wouldn't fly or practise with the other Ravenclaws, she'd keep a sharp eye on her friends.

James and Sirius barrelled down the hallways and down to the training grounds as usual, while Remus, Hana and Noah walked side-by-side and discussed the potions essay they had to write for next week. Madam Hooch was there to greet the students as usual and hand out old school brooms to everyone. After a few short instructions, Madam Hooch blew her whistle, and the students began practising their flying. Most of them didn't go above a hover, except for James, who _had_ to show off each class and spin around the training grounds even if Madam Hooch shouted for him to touch down. Hana was steadily getting better, unlike Noah or Severus for that matter, who were both wobbly even when barely two inches off the ground, and looking over at Sirius and Remus, Hana could tell that they still couldn't give a rat's ass about flying. They were sitting on their hovering brooms, chatting avidly.

There was nothing out of the ordinary that Hana could see, and she considered giving up her search for malice for a split second. However, just as her eyes began to lower, so did James, and he did so quite close to Severus, which knocked him off his broom. It would have seemed an honest mistake had James not high-fived Sirius a few seconds later.

Hana groaned, which startled Noah, and she swung her legs off the side of her broom. 

"I don't like where this is going, Noah."  
"Huh?" the boy hummed, clumsily dismounting his broom. "How what's going - oh, the Snape thing?"  
"Severus, yeah... I mean, look at them. They're clearly-- Oh, I don't know. Like... Yeah."  
"You mean... They're clearly laughing at Snape and Snape is clearly uncomfortable, but they're still your friends, and you don't want to call them out, but at the same time them harassing Snape pisses you off," Noah completed.  
"Thanks for articulating for me."  
"No problem. So, what're you gonna do?"  
"Well, I told Severus that I'd talk to them," Hana said with a shrug.   
"You hate confrontation, Hana," Noah sighed.  
"I also don't go back on my word, so screw confrontation, I'm gonna talk to these dunderheads."  
"Dunderheads?"  
"I don't even know. Don't ask."

* * *

The day was beautiful, and as Hana sat beneath the beech tree by the lake, she thought of how much it sucked that she was about to sour the mood. Sirius and James were swinging above her, talking about God knows what, Noah and Remus were pouring over a thick tome that Remus had gotten from the library, and Hana was humming a tune that her mother used to sing. And though the song was airy and pleasant, her thoughts were anything but.

"Hey guys, can I ask you something?"  
"Only if it doesn't turn into one of your rabbit holes of information," James said, swinging upside down.  
"Nah, it's just a hypothetical."  
"Then shoot," Sirius said.  
"So, let's say you got this... friend, and this friend has told you that someone's picking on him."  
"Well, obviously you kick his butt," James stated.  
"Okay, but what if the bully is also a friend?"

There was a moment of silence in which Hana kept her gaze on the lake. Out of the corner of her eye, she could see Noah and Remus staring at her. James and Sirius were most likely doing the same thing from above.

"Hana--"  
"To my knowledge, Severus hasn't done anything to you two, so..."  
"Well, it's more the fact he exists, really," Sirius said.

Hana's head turned sharply towards the boys.

"Are you mad? He's done literally nothing to you, and you torment him anyway?"  
"It's just a bit of fun, Snowflake," James said. "Neither of us really means it. Snivellus is probably just being sensitive."

The girl's eyebrows knitted together in concern. It was a possibility that Severus was exaggerating, yes, but in either case, that meant that one of them was lying to her straight in the face.

"Why're you even friends with him in the first place?"  
"Severus isn't really my friend, Sirius. He's just a classmate that I happen to get along with. Well... most of the time, anyway."  
"And you're just defending him because you feel it's your duty as a classmate, then?"  
"Yes," Hana said sharply. "Regardless of what Severus is to me, it isn't right, and you know it. So yes, I am defending him, just like I would any other student who's getting picked on."  
"But he's a Slytherin!"  
"And I have told you before that I hold no animosity towards Slytherins," Hana said sharply. "I understand that you hate them because your family members are a bunch of twats, but that doesn't mean that I have to conform to that ideal as well, Sirius. I'm free to like and dislike whoever I want."

Hana stood promptly and dusted off her robes. Sirius watched her pick up her things, an unfriendly glint in his eyes.

"This stereotype you hold Slytherins to is unhealthy," Hana said, looking pointedly at James and Sirius. "Look, I don't want to hear anything like this from Severus again, understood?"  
"No problem," Sirius snapped.

Hana narrowed her eyes at him, unsure as to why he'd agreed so quickly, but she left the tree's side, more or less satisfied about their talk. Hana would have brought up Remus' actions, or lack thereof, but if she didn't want to lose her friends completely, she felt it was best to stop there for the day. 

About halfway back to the castle, Hana remembered that she'd left Noah behind, but there was no way she was going to return down there now. She was going to let the boys stew in the talk they'd just been given, and wait for Noah to show up again. Meanwhile, Hana made her way through the courtyard and down the numerous halls of Hogwarts, evading fanged frisbees thrown by first years or looking away from multiple seventh years snogging in the hallways. However, turning around a corridor, Hana couldn't avoid Lily Evans, whom she smashed straight into. Both of their books and papers went flying everywhere, and both girls immediately dove down to pick things up for each other. 

"I keep doing this. Honestly, Hana, what is wrong with you?"  
"It's fine, don't worry! I wasn't looking where I was going either," Lily said. "You're Hana Yukimura, right?"  
"Uh, yes?"   
"I'm Lily. Lily Evans. Severus has spoken of you."  
"I bet he's mentioned that I'm a pain? Or maybe that I'm _that one dunderhead that won't leave him be_?" Hana said, mimicking Severus' voice.  
"Yes, he has," Lily chuckled. "But he also said that you were going to talk to those idiotic friends of yours?"

Hana looked up at Lily, a little surprised.

"Uh, yeah... Yeah, I did. Say that, I mean. _And_ talk to them, I suppose. I just came back from there. It was uh... insightful. And really confrontational. I didn't like it."  
"Well, I'm thankful that you did it anyway," Lily said with a smile. "I can only help Severus when I see something happen, but I'm glad you're standing up to your friends for him."  
"I mean, I'd do it for anyone, really," Hana said with a small shrug.   
"Hey, come on. I was just about to go find Severus in the library."

Hana and Lily stood, books in hand.

"Are you sure? I mean, I wouldn't want to intrude or anything."  
"You're not intruding, Hana."  
"Well _you_ might say that, but Severus..."  
"Is a grumpy old man that needs new friends. Come on."

Lily didn't wait for Hana to accept. Instead, she grabbed the Ravenclaw's hand and dragged her through the halls at a jog until they reached the library. The woman in charge of the place shushed them immediately upon entry, but neither of them paid her any mind. Lily darted straight for the far end of the room where they found Severus with his nose deep in a book. 

"Took you long enough."  
"Sorry, I picked someone up along the way," Lily said, sitting beside him.

Hana plopped down in front of Severus. He heaved a sigh.

"Is it because she bumped into you? She has a habit of doing that."  
"Okay, I bumped into you that _one_ time!" Hana said, threateningly pointing a book at him.  
"Twice suffices to call it a habit."  
"I'll start calling you a grumpy old man again. How's that for a habit?"  
"Why are you two arguing?" Lily asked, concerned.  
"Oh, we're not arguing, Lily, this is our bonding," Hana said with a small smile.  
"We aren't bonding."  
"Just admit it, Severus."  
"Why'd you bring her here, Lily?" Severus asked, almost desperately.  
"Because she talked to her friends for you," the girl said with a small laugh.

Severus looked to Hana, who was scribbling something down in the margins of one of her textbooks. 

"You did?"  
"Yeah, I did. It turns out you were right," Hana admitted. "I don't know the extent of what they did to you, and I didn't ask because I don't honestly care what they did, it's enough that they _did_ do something. I told them that I didn't want to hear about them doing it anymore."  
"What happens if they don't stop, Hana?" Lily asked.  
"Well... I suppose I'll think of something if it ever comes to that."

Lily nodded with a small smile.

"For now..." Hana said, pulling out her homework. "What'd you guys write down for question 27?"  
"For Professor Binns' class? Let me see..."  
"Merlin's arse," Severus replied sarcastically, his nose back in his book.  
"Hm, that makes sense. Can I list you as a reference?"


	7. A Very Musical Christmas

Seasons faded in and out like soft lullabies, their transitions slow but never faltering. Like mother earth herself they only turned in one direction, always onward, never back. As they waxed and waned the pace of Hogwarts life changed. In the summer, everyone was high energy, all systems go. With the first wash of autumn air, moving over the green hills and the vast lake like a shallow wave, the people slowed down to a quieter pace. The winter was flatter still, but never falling into a negative spin, the students and faculty of Hogwarts loved snow far too much for that. Then the spring came to wake the sleeping castle: people, trees and blooms. Folk walked under newly unfurled leaves, smile at the fresh new flowers and tilt their faces upwards in the warmth of the sun's rays. Soon, summer was back and the carousel was complete for another year.

For now, Hogwarts was living the cycle of winter. Snow-covered trees stood as ballet dancers poised to show the world their grace, strength showing in how they remained so still in the seasonal gusts of wind. Now that the leaves had fallen, they were so proud, as if their silvery brown skin was their glory all along. The sun was the brightness of the day, taking centre stage as the blooms of the summertime became a part of the soil. The lake appeared still, yet everyone knew that the Giant Squid could be found swimming underneath the ice, and though the air bore only the coldness and the ground was frozen, even more, they glittered with the gift of sunshine, somehow still warm when the north wind bit. 

Hana lift her head into the wind as she and Severus who was a little ways away bid goodbye to those heading home for the Christmas holidays. Noah was bundled up so tightly that Hana feared he might suffocate, but James, Sirius and Remus assured her that they'd keep an eye on him on the train ride to King's Cross station. Lily happily gave Hana a tight hug before leaving, her nose pink from the cold already, and skipped off to join some friends who'd already left for the carriages. 

When everyone was finally out of sight, Hana's shoulders slumped. Once again, her holidays were going to be spent alone, as her father was out of the country on business. Once again, Hana yearned for the year 1964, when her Christmas tree was ridiculous, scraping the ceiling as her father wobbled on a ladder to hang the fairy lights. It belonged back in the forest that tree, dominating their small living room as it did. But everyone was grinning. Her cousins and herself were hopping from foot to foot awaiting the go-ahead to hang the decorations. Packets of tinsel lay unopened on the floor, not just the snake kind, but the stuff in loose strips they still found around the house in May. Then her mother would plug in the lights and we almost exploded, our fingers itching to get going. The memory of actually decorating the tree was far shorter than the time it took to actually make it beautiful all those years ago, but the finished tree was like a perfect photograph. Funny how these events stayed in the mind when so much else did not. But she was glad that that memory was still there, otherwise, she'd just be left with bad memories; Hana couldn't remember a time where her father had been happy or caring at all.

However, Hana's spirits rose slightly when she remembered that, after all, she wouldn't be completely alone. She'd have the company of Severus whether he liked it or not. Maybe she would miss her own family's Christmas tree, but it wasn't as if she were going to be in an empty house devoid of decorations either. Dumbledore had arranged for twelve large fir trees to be brought up and decorated in the Great Hall. There was holly and mistletoe hanging around every archway, and snow fell from the ceiling above the four house tables, but unlike real snow, this snow was dry and warm, and their Head of House had enchanted the suits of armour in the halls the sing carols when people passed by them. Maybe, at Hogwarts, her Christmas would have a little magic once again.

"I don't know about you, but I'm going to hide."  
"Hide?" Hana asked, whirling around to face Severus. "There's no one here to hide from."  
"There's Peeves, there's those blasted singing suits of armour--"  
"Okay there, Mr Grinch, go hide. I'm going outside to enjoy the snow."

Hana wheeled back around and dashed up the staircase, then up the ever-changing staircases, then up Ravenclaw tower and into her Common Room after giving the answer to the door's knocker. She pulled out a black _Hanten_ , tossed it onto her bed, and rummaged through her clothes to find a sweater. She pulled a thick dark green jumper from the depths of her wardrobe and slipped it over her head, followed by the _Hanten_. A pair of earmuffs, gloves and a scarf later, Hana was running back down the staircases and heading outside in the barely touched, pure white snow.

She watched each of her footfalls sink into the crystalline snow as she made her way to the lake, then when she was five she turned around to see her path laid out behind her in the otherwise pristine snow. Just before her head flicked back around Hana spied the icicles hanging from the turrets of towers and wished she could snap one off. But she supposed it was only water, and so she continued her trek down to the frozen water. Against her better judgement, Hana climbed up into the beech tree, almost slipping on her way up, and looked out at the horizon. 

Hana felt a sudden rush of disappointment as she sat, looking out into the vast whiteness of the Hogwarts grounds. Severus wasn't a very close friend, sure, however, she couldn't help but want him to be sitting outside with her anyway. She'd have someone to talk to, and it definitely beat being alone just days before Christmas. Maybe she should have taken Noah up on his offer of spending the holidays with him, but then again, she wouldn't have felt right intruding on his family like that, especially since Noah's mother didn't seem overly fond of her. A sigh left Hana's mouth, and she brushed a stray hair from her face. What to do?

"Hey."

Hana turned towards the voice and spotted Severus, but just as she was about to smile and speak, the wind blew her hair into her face and mouth.

"Graceful," Severus said monotonously.

The girl huffed, annoyed, and blew the hair out of her mouth. She turned back around to get the hair out of her face, and Severus went around the tree to face her.

"Thought you wanted to hide?"

Severus shrugged.

"The ghosts found me."  
"Well, get your ass up here, then."  
"I'll be staying on the ground, thanks."

Hana chuckled and extended her hand.

"Come on."

With a sigh, Severus began climbing but refused to take Hana's hand or help, which made the process significantly more difficult, but he succeeded in the end, seating himself further down the branch Hana was on. 

"Aren't you cold?" Severus said after a short while.  
"I'm wearing three layers of clothing, gloves, a hat and a scarf. It could be forty below zero and I'd be fine."

Severus muttered something under his breath, which made Hana turn to him with the intent of telling him off. However, she'd just noticed that all he was wearing was a fairly old jacket and a pair of boots that had surely seen better days. Her eyebrows momentarily knitted out of concern, and with a short sigh, Hana removed her scarf and tossed it as Severus. He caught it, but just barely, and stared at the knitted navy scarf then at her.

"What's this for?"  
"You, you twit."  
"I don't need it."  
"Say that to your shaking shoulders, Severus," Hana said. "You do know that the school gives us a scarf for winter?"  
"Lost mine," Severus said quietly.

Hana turned her head back to the lake. Something told her that he hadn't truly lost it.

"Keep it then."  
"What? No. Look at this thing."  
"I keep a sparkly purple one in my trunk, would you prefer that one?" Hana asked.  
"No."  
"There you go. Happy Christmas."  
"Yeah, yeah," Severus sighed. "But if you're expecting a gift in return, you're out of luck. Unless you'd like me to recite all the reasons I think you're annoying?"  
"Come on, Severus, try harder. Write a thesis."  
"Understood. I'll owl it to you for Christmas."  
"And here I thought you had no heart."

* * *

Hana was woken from her slumber by the scent of freshly baked Christmas cake coming from, presumably, the Great Hall. Lazily, she rose from her bed and wobbled over to the bathroom, ignoring the beautiful pink and orange hues that painted the sky. Waking up with a cold shower was more important. Even upon exiting, the sky mattered not. Instead, Hana finally laid her eyes on the pile of gifts that sat at the foot of her bed. She was surprised more than anything else to have received gifts, but looking at the tags on them the surprise melted and the gratefulness swelled.

The first thing that caught Hana's eye was the large, flat square that sat on top of all the other gifts. It was wrapped quite simply, unlike all the others, and when Hana opened it she nearly cried. She put it back atop the pile of gifts and dashed down the hall into one of her housemates' room to borrow his old turntable. Moments later, back in her room, Hana happily listened to the [voice ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C35DrtPlUbc)of Kyu Sakamoto, wondering just how on earth Remus had managed to scrounge up the vinyl. The most obnoxiously coloured gift was from James and when she opened the box her weight in candies spilt out of it, burying her legs. Hana spent the next few minutes trying to shove all of it back into its box, but not without eating a chocolate frog beforehand. Lily had been most sensible and gotten her a rather useful set of nice stationery and extra parchment, with a note attached that read: "Do you think this is too practical?". Hana chuckled to herself and put the extra stationery inside her trunk before moving on to the next gift which came from Sirius. It was another vinyl, but this one was clearly a mirror into Sirius' soul. Hana didn't know anyone else who listened to Elvis Presley. And as she danced around and sang to Jailhouse Rock, Hana opened and read the thesis Severus promised to write her with a smile on her face.

The singing continued as Hana skipped down the stairs and the halls until she made it into the Great Hall. Severus' head turned sharply when the sounds of the Ravenclaw singing Blue Christmas by the King once again, and he rolled his eyes and turned back to his book when he saw that Hana was dancing at the same time. The other few students in the Great Hall paid her no mind, even as she sat down at the only table and continued singing. 

"Why are you singing?" Severus complained.

Hana shrugged and dramatically finished the song before answering.

"I'm disappointed, Severus. You didn't include annoying singing in your thesis."  
"I would have if I knew you were the type to sing."  
"I took classes as a kid," Hana said, pouring herself a cup of tea. "That and piano. My father thought it was essential to be cultivated, or something. The teacher was a horrible human though..."  
"Shame your teacher didn't dissuade you from pursuing the classes. I wouldn't have had to endure that spectacle."  
"Rude."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A hanten is a traditional item of Japanese clothing that served as a short winter coat.


	8. Pictures

Unfortunately, the holidays were over. There was no more singing to annoy Severus, no more music ringing throughout her Common Room (as she had to put the turntable back in her housemate's room). The twelve fir trees were gone, the suits of armour had stopped singing, and all the holly and mistletoe had gone. On the bright side, Hana's friends had returned and told her all about their holidays. However, classes had resumed, and Hana wasn't ready for those at all.

Nothing could express how much Hana would rather be sticking her head down a toilet instead of being in Slughorn's class at this very moment. It seemed that, during the holidays, Slughorn's foot removed itself from his arse, which allowed him to speak to her normally. This lead to him overlooking several students when asking questions and going directly to her or nodding over-enthusiastically whenever he walked by Hana's cauldron. However, he still refused to acknowledge Noah's talent in Potions class, so he made a point to not look at him while he spoke with Hana. Lily too had been spotted by Slughorn. However, she seemed to enjoy the attention rather than dislike it. Beside her, just like Noah, Severus wasn't getting any limelight at all. Of course, Hana wanted to distinguish herself from the others, but not at Noah's or Severus' expense. She bore with it for the first half-hour of the class, until well, her tongue slipped.

"Tell me, Miss Yukimura, where could one find a bezoar?"  
"Merlin's arse probably."

The dead silence in the classroom brought Hana away from her note-taking. She looked up at Slughorn, whose face shone with confusion.

"Pardon me, Miss Yukimura, I don't think I heard you quite right."  
"I said, 'Merlin's arse probably'," Hana repeated a little louder. "Sorry, I don't know the answer. How about you ask Noah? Or Severus? Or even Belby over there. I'm sure they'll know."

Slughorn hesitated for a moment before he swerved and asked Lily to answer, which she did gladly. However, she turned around to look at Hana, concerned, but her concerns weren't alleviated by the simple shrug the Ravenclaw gave her. It was after the first half of the class that Hana explained.

"Yeah, I want to distinguish myself, but he's just ignoring others that have talent too. I mean, Severus is probably the best in our class, and he barely glances at him, and Noah is just as good as we are and he gets ignored too. I'm not fond of discrimination." Hana said. She shrugged. "Also, the man's moustache gives me the creeps, and I'm tired of watching it move."

Lily chuckled.

"Well, watch it, okay? You're lucky he didn't take away points."  
"Take away points from one of his new _favourite_ students? Never gonna happen, Lily."

The Gryffindor sighed, giving up, and parted ways with Hana and Noah. She and Severus went on to the library for their break, while the two Ravenclaw headed to the Great Hall to study and snack on whatever was on the table that day. About halfway into their Potions homework, loud noises rang through the Great Hall and steadily approached the Ravenclaw table. Within a few seconds, James and Sirius, both singing some odd muggle tune, had seated themselves with Hana and Noah and kept on singing until Remus trotted in behind them, looking rather tired.

"Good morning to you, dear Ravenclaws!" James announced.  
"Did you really have to come in yelling?" Hana chuckled.  
"That was singing, my dear Snowflake!"  
"Didn't you know?" Sirius added, with a grin.  
"I've never heard that kind of singing, no," Noah said. "I've only heard Hana sing."

James, Sirius and even Remus turned to Hana abruptly, who stopped mid-chew on a rice cake to look back at them.

"What?"  
"You can sing?"  
"Everyone can sing. To varying degrees of course," Hana said, trying to move past this topic of conversation. "The fact that I too can sing means nothing in the grand scheme of things."

All four boys gave her a look that suggested she had spewed the fanciest bullshit they'd ever heard.

"I've said it before, I took classes, okay?"  
"You haven't told us that!" James said.  
"Oh, right," Hana muttered, suddenly recalling that she'd said that to Severus over the holidays. "Well... I'm telling you now. I took singing and piano classes as a kid."  
"And do you still sing?" Sirius asked.  
"Not mu--"  
"You sing every morning in the shower."

Hana smacked Noah on the shoulder for his comment.

"And she's good," Noah continued, earning him another round of shoulder punches. "You know, now that I think about it, she probably sang to the vinyls you got her for Christmas."  
"Noah Xiang, I will end you!" Hana warned, then went to continue, but remembered something. She turned to James, Sirius and Remus. "Wait, why're you guys even here?"  
"Oh, right, we didn't say," Remus said tiredly. "Well, it's nothing special really, you're on break, right?"  
"Yeah, we've got to head back in a few minutes."  
"We just wanted to head to class with you," Sirius said. "Wanna see Sluggie's face when he sees you."  
"Why?" Hana asked.  
"News travels fast at Hogwarts, dear Snowflake."  
"Stop calling me that."  
"We know all about you telling off Slughorn. Honestly though, weren't Ravenclaws supposed to be stuck up know-it-alls that'll do anything for a good grade?"

Noah and Hana shared a look and burst out laughing.

"You're kidding, right?" Noah chuckled. "If you saw seventh year Ravenclaws trying to get into the Common Room late at night, you'd think otherwise."  
"Last night, Killian Limerick flat out refused to answer the Knocker's question and yelled at it for five straight minutes until the door just opened."  
"So... you're not all geniuses?"  
"Hell, no," Hana laughed. "Half of us can't even be bothered to do our homework."

The conversation carried on until the dungeons, and James and Sirius got a good look at Slughorn's face when he spotted Hana. He became a little red in the face, and his moustache twitched so violently that they were sure that it was going to fly off. 

"Marvelous!" James announced. "Just what I needed to get me through the day."  
"Oi, James, come on, we've got a piano to find!" Sirius called, as he ran off.  
"Piano?" Hana asked.  
"'Course! You're gonna play for us, Snowflake!"  
"Fat chance!"  
"Yeah, you probably will," Noah said calmly.   
"Traitor."  
"Come on, Remus!" James and Sirius called from up ahead.

Just as Remus began walking away, Hana grabbed his wrist. He turned to her and saw the concern in her eyes.

"Hey, are you okay, Rem?"  
"Yeah, why?"  
"It's just... I don't know. You seem tired, is all. More this week than the last. Are you sure you're okay?"  
"I'm all right, Hana. Don't worry."

James and Sirius called for Remus again, and the boy jogged off to join them. After one last glance in his direction, Hana followed Noah inside the classroom and resumed their Potions class at their usual seats behind Severus and Lily, and they kept helping each other out for bits and pieces of their brewing process. When the class finally ended, and the four students were free from the oppressing darkness of the school's dungeons and the awful stench of blown up potions, they made their way out onto the grounds. Lily began rummaging in her bag.

"What're you looking for?" Hana asked.  
"I got something for Christmas, and I want to test it out!"  
"New hairbrush?"  
"Pair of sneakers?" Noah added.  
"Broomstick?"  
"Self-correcting quill?"  
"A gag to shut you both up?" Severus sighed.  
"Honestly, the three of you," Lily scolded.

It was an old Leica camera that she'd pulled out and began showing off proudly. Noah was immediately fascinated by the muggle contraption, and Lily was thrilled to explain to him how it worked. Hana just didn't want Lily to point it at her, and she was sure Severus didn't want to have anything to do with it either. 

"This way, I can document all of us through Hogwarts, and even afterwards!"  
"Don't you dare point that thing at me," Severus grumbled.  
"I have to agree with Mr Grumpy over there," Hana said. "I'm not a picture kinda girl."  
"Suit yourselves. Noah and I will preserve ourselves in photographs for all eternity without you."

Severus and Hana looked at each other.

"I'm quite all right with that."  
"Same here."  
"Oh, boo."

But Lily didn't really listen. She took pictures of them anyway, of course, while they weren't looking, and they'd never know.


	9. Lazy Weekends

It seemed that all the teachers had collectively agreed to not give any student homework for this weekend. This was much appreciated by many because, in a week's time, the final holiday would arrive and then the final exams. But for now, it was bright skies and warm weather for Hogwarts, despite the earliness in the year, and everyone seemed to be outside enjoying it. Everyone except for the young trio of troublemakers, James, Sirius and Remus, as well as the pair of Ravenclaw students that tolerated their nuisances, Hana and Noah.

As promised a few months back, James and Sirius had found a piano in one of the old and unused music rooms, which now served as more of a storage unit than anything else. Many muggle books and odd contraptions had been hidden here, probably from the Caretaker, and left to collect dust, which now caked everything it could touch. It took the five friends a few hours to clear the space, and it would have taken much less time had Sirius not "borrowed" his housemate's boombox. He had no idea how it worked, or what kind of music was inside it, but he knew that music could come out of it, so he took it. For about ten minutes, he and James tried to fiddle with it until Remus simply turned it on with the press of a button. A strong and high-pitched voice burst from the speakers nearly immediately, which made everyone jump. However, after they slowly began to recognise the sounds of Led Zeppelin, everyone began to move around to the music. 

James and Sirius belted out the lyrics to Black Dog as they slid around in their socks, Remus mouthed the words once in a while but stopped and tried to hide from the other two if they noticed him. Noah and Hana danced together like the music was jive and not hard rock, twisting and turning and holding hands as they changed sides and nearly fell over. The friends were all grins, looking like idiots, but they didn't care. Inside they were just happy, happy and more alive than they could ever be during class or at home.

Hana felt the part of her that was _really her_ come out to play, the part of her that hadn't been awake since her mother had passed. Maybe it was because she only used to sing for her mother, and it was only for her mother that she'd ever felt comfortable singing (at least seriously), but prancing around the room with her friends like this, it was pure happiness. And that's when Hana headed to the dusty old piano to play, even though she'd been so adamant that she'd never play for them. She didn't even notice when Remus turned off the music to listen to her play.

Hana's skin tingled. There was something about the vibrations in her fingers as if it were liquid energy that seeped directly into her skin. Her mother had always said it was because she was born a musician, but Hana always thought she had been told that to stop her from hating her father and the classes he'd told her to take. But maybe she was right, and perhaps that was why she'd learned to play so well because she could _feel_ the music. 

Hana finally came back to reality when she'd finished playing her song. It was only because the boys had cheered and clapped for her, really, or else she'd never had noticed. And then she played old songs from home, some more classics for Sirius, a few soothing melodies for Noah. On one particular song, they all sang together, and the old classroom buzzed with the sounds of their voices and the piano, and the sounds probably rang down the halls too, but none of them cared. James and Sirius slow danced together, Noah lay flat on top of the piano, and Remus sat on the bench beside her, trying to copy her fingers' movements so that he could play with her. And with the jumble of on-key and off-key sounds, the sun began to set, and the friends tiredly collapsed in the old chairs in the room, talking until the stars glittered in the sky.

* * *

Hana woke up with a stiff neck the following morning, splayed out on her bed and not even in pyjamas. Her bangs stuck up in places it shouldn't, there was dried saliva on the corner of her mouth, and she still had her shoes on her feet. She felt as if she had a hangover, or what she imagined a hangover felt like, but she knew it was only because of the excessive dancing and "cleaning" they did the day prior. 

The Ravenclaw rolled off to her side intending to look around the room, but instead of merely rolling to the edge of the bed, Hana found that she was already there, and so she went straight off the bed and fell to the ground with a loud thump. 

"Ah, _kuso_..."

A pained groan escaped Hana's lips as she rolled onto her back and stared at the ceiling. The stars on the royal blue ceiling shifted around to show the time and date, which made the girl sigh. It was way past breakfast, and Hana would have to wait for lunchtime to eat something. To kill time, Hana stood and listened to the sounds of her stiff joints crack as she headed to the bathroom to take a long shower. By the time she came out, the bathroom was filled with steam, and it took more coordination than usual to navigate back to her clothes on the vanity.

"Oh, hey, Haru."

The feline had woven his way through Hana's legs as she walked, and meowed happily when she acknowledged his presence.

"You wanna come down for lunch?"

Haru made a sound that could have signified agreement, so Hana left the door open for him to follow when she exited the common room. Going down through the hallways, Hana could feel the warm wind through the open windows, and it made her hair dance around her head much to her annoyance. The halls were crowded with people, and the chaos of it was perfect, like in a book. There was the two seventh years that were always snogging in a corner out on the left side of the hall. A few meters down, a rather large group of Hufflepuffs huddled together for reasons unknown. Opposite them was a bench that was used by the same two Slytherins every day. Between that was the massive parade of students coming out of the library with towers of books in their arms. There were a couple of Ravenclaw sitting on window sills, making paper aeroplanes fly around and into peoples' hair and a group of Gryffindor that was barrelling down the halls and out onto the grounds. Hana suspected that they were her friends Sirius, James and Remus, but she didn't follow them. Instead, Hana entered the Great Hall and looked around for anyone she knew.

Considering the time, Hana wasn't surprised to find that Noah was nowhere to be found. He was most likely in the library at this time, trying to cram in a few bits of information before he came to get lunch at the very last minute. Hana couldn't see Lily at the end of the Gryffindor table, nor could she spot the three idiots flinging peas at each other. In a final attempt at finding a familiar face, Hana looked over to the Slytherin table. Her feet moved forward before her brain could ask itself if it was a good idea to, and they carried her off towards the table of silver and green robes to find Severus. He barely glanced at her.

"Mind if I eat lunch with you?"  
"Does he look like he wants to eat lunch with you?"  
"Excuse me?" Hana said, turning over to the voice. It was a rather nasty-looking boy, and he seemed older than she was.  
"You heard me, Jap."

Hana inhaled sharply, and her mouth pressed into a hard line.

"Resorting to name-calling, are we? Very mature."  
"I didn't ask for your opinion."  
"Fine," Hana said curtly. "Sorry to bother you."  
"Wait."

Hana looked over to Severus. His nose was still in his book, but he ended up closing it and standing up. He glanced at her for a split second, then began to walk off. Confused, Hana didn't move, and eventually heard Severus sigh.

"Well, come on," he called back.

Without a second thought, Hana jogged over to Severus, stealing an apple and a mince pie off of the Hufflepuff table as she went. As they walked out onto the grounds, Hana scarfed down the pie and then the apple in the most unflattering way, but all the while smiling brightly. A ways away, Hana spotted her three Gryffindor friends and tugged Severus by the sleeve in the opposite direction, something to which he protested initially until he spotted them himself.

The weather was the kind that felt like a kiss of summer without the fiery heat that would soon come in August. The grass was a soft green that almost had a hint of blue and in the sky were enough pristine clouds to show how beautiful the sky was. The stone path was warm, even through Hana's thin shoes, and she was glad that Severus had somehow, in his own way, agreed to spend time with her. The two of them eventually ended up walking the length of the lakeside and Hana stopped once to close her eyes, simply to focus on the sounds around her. There was the birds, the wind, the rustling of tree branches and the quiet complaints coming from an impatient Severus. She opened her eyes and pulled a face at him, then smiled and continued on her way. Eventually, the two students ended up crashing down in the oddly circular formation of rocks near the Gamekeeper's hut, and they sat cross-legged on the weed-filled lawn. Hana looked for the wildflowers she loved just as much as the camellias her mother had tended to back home with such loving care. It wasn’t that she didn’t appreciate the beauty of a camellia; it was that she was equally in love with meadow flowers, with forget-me-nots and buttercups. 

With a glance to Severus, Hana couldn't help but laugh.

"What?" the boy said, annoyed.  
"It's nothing, really."  
"Spit it out."  
"It's just... Ah, I don't know. I can't word. Noah usually articulates things for me," Hana grumbled, pulling grass out of the ground. "He's the word guy."  
"The... word guy?"  
"See? I can't speak."  
"You're talking now," Severus quipped.  
"Okay, yeah, but that's different."  
"I don't see how it is. Just think of what you want to say, and say it. You're over-complicating things for nothing, and it's making me angry."

Hana pulled a face and Severus and turned away. She stared out at the grounds for a minute, then looked back to Severus.

"I just think... you look so out of place somehow."  
"Wonderful," Severus said sarcastically.  
"No, no, no, I mean-" Hana let out an irritated growl. "You make it a point to look dark and boring and uninteresting, and you never smile either, so you should stand out in weather like this because you're, you know, the complete opposite, but... I don't know. Even though you're sitting in cute little pale flowers, in the sun on a really nice day, reading a book, somehow you don't look out of place at all... _Heiwadesu._ "  
"See, that wasn't so hard, was it?"

Hana stuck her tongue out at Severus.

"Guess that's the last time I'm saying something nice about you."  
"That was supposed to be a compliment?"

She chucked a handful of grass at him, and he threw some back. Hana laughed despite herself and lied down, staring up at the sky. She turned her head back towards Severus.

"Thank you, by the way."  
"What're you thanking me for?"   
"I don't know, not letting me walk away alone from that twat at your table?"  
"Oh, that. I wasn't doing it for you. I was leaving anyway," the boy said with a shrug. "It was too loud for reading in the Great Hall."

Hana smiled gently.

"Whatever you say, Severus."


	10. Breaking News

"I'm sorry to tell you this, Noah, but the only way I'm going to survive this is if you kill me."  
"I think I'll let the homework kill you, Hana."  
"Well, that's not a very dignified way to go."

It was Wednesday morning now, Easter break was coming up, and there were only two days left for every single student of Hogwarts to finalise and hand in their homework before the end of the term. Everyone in the study hall was panicking. Most of the Ravenclaws could barely keep their eyes open while they ate their breakfasts, and one Gryffindor was clearly passed out in his bowl of oatmeal. Neither Hana or Noah were aware of this, however, as they had not yet made it to the Great Hall that morning.

Hana and Noah had pulled an all-nighter the day before to finish their Potions homework. The result was Hana's bangs sticking up in various places and her being sprawled all over her bed still in yesterday's clothes. Most notable was the tremor in her left hand, which she tried to hide underneath her pillow.

"You've got an hour until breakfast is over, Hana. When do you want me to wake you?" Noah asked, tossing his notebook into his bag.  
"Never," came Hana's muffled voice.  
"We've got double Potions later."  
"I know."  
"So... I'm waking you in a half-hour?"

Hana rose her head, her hair falling over her face in the process.

"If I asked Slughorn if I'd pass even if I didn't show up to class today, do you think he'd give me a passing grade?"  
"Get your arse up, Yukimura!"

Noah chucked a pillow at Hana's head, and it hit her square in the face. She sputtered, threw the pillow back at Noah, and slowly rolled out of bed. She sighed, and waited for a moment, before bouncing back up and heading towards her wardrobe. Hana twirled dramatically to the bathroom and took a quick shower, and she emerged draping her necktie around her neck.

"You're gonna get docked points for that."  
"Cool."

Noah rolled his eyes and followed Hana out into the hall. They weaved through the early morning traffic, ignoring the crying of fifth years still studying even this early in the morning, and made their way to the Great Hall. They sat at the Gryffindor table, Hana between Noah and Remus.

"Well you look like hell," James noted, looking at Hana.  
"Astute observation, my dear Watson," the girl replied, stacking a few pancakes on her plate.  
"Did you get _any_ sleep?" Remus asked, concerned.  
"Did _you_? You look like you've contracted the plague."

A student beside Sirius snapped his head over in Hana's direction, frightened.

"For real?" Hana said, deadpan. "There hasn't been an outbreak of the Black Plague since the early 1900s, you uneducated peanut."  
"Seriously, though, Rem, you look like crap..." Sirius commented sleepily. "Worse than Snowflake."  
"When are you guys going to stop calling me that?"  
"I'm sick is all. Plus I haven't been sleeping 'cause of all this damn homework," Remus explained. "Do the teachers know we need sleep to live?"  
"Not likely," James said lazily. "Have you been to see Madam Pomfrey, Rem? Your constant sickness is weird."

Remus simply shrugged and continued eating his breakfast. Hana looked at him funny, then to Noah who shrugged. There was something off about that kid, Hana just needed to figure out what.

After breakfast, and dunking Sirius' hands into his pumpkin juice while he was passed out on the table, Hana and Noah separated from their Gryffindor friends and headed to the dungeons. 

"You know, the darkness is welcome today. Perfect place for a nap," Hana said, eyelids slowly closing.  
"You want to take a nap here with the Bloody Baron? All right, be my guest."

The thought of the Baron's bloody appearance jolted Hana awake, and she hurriedly walked down the corridor into the mostly lit potions classroom. 

"Woah, Hana, what happened?"

Hana looked up to see Lily staring directly at her, looking concerned.

"What do you mean?"  
"Well..."  
"She's saying you look like crap," Noah clarified.  
"Oh, right. We pulled an all-nighter for this stupid homework," Hana said, tossing her roll of parchment onto her desk. "That's why _I_ look like crap. Noah has the genes of a Veela. He can't look crappy."  
"I don't have Veela in me, Hana."  
"Then why do you look perfect, hm!?"

Just then, Slughorn waltzed into the room and demanded everyone to settle down. He picked up everyone's parchment's with a wave of his wand and begun his lesson for the day. Hana opened her book to the correct page and started reading, then got up to get the necessary ingredients out of the cupboard for herself and Noah. It was only then that she realised something, or rather someone was missing. 

"Hey, Lily," Hana called, after returning to her desk. "Where's Severus?"  
"Don't know," Lily said. "I saw him during breakfast but not since then. It's not his style to skip classes."

Hana frowned. Lily was right. It wasn't Severus' style to skip classes. Maybe he was just late, but after a half-hour, he still hadn't shown up. She was in the middle of slicing Foxglove when the doors burst open, and he stormed in, looking more annoyed than usual. He handed his homework to Slughorn, who docked him 10 points for being late, then sat down at his desk.

"Severus where've you been?" Hana heard Lily ask.  
"Went to the library, lost track of time," Severus answered quickly. "Have you got any spare Flitterby Moths?"  
"Uh, no--"

Severus turned around.

"Got any spare moths, Yukimura?"  
"Yeah," Hana answered, handing him some of her extra crushed moths. "Need some Foxglove too? I've got extra."

The boy nodded and took the ingredients from the girl then turned back to his station. Hana frowned at the back of his head. Clearly something had happened, but this wasn't the time nor the place to ask about it. Besides, Hana figured it'd only make him angrier if she asked. 

The rest of the class went without a hitch. Severus was acting normally even though Lily was clearly worried, Noah and Hana finished their potions ahead of everyone else as usual, and Slughorn kept trying to get Hana's attention to no avail. Eventually, lunchtime came around, and instead of following Lily as he usually did, Severus veered off to his Common Room.

"I'm worried. He's never this quiet," Lily said.  
"You sure? He rarely ever speaks," Noah commented.   
"If he does it's more insulting than anything else," Hana said with a shrug. "Still, it is odd that he'd just go off to his common room like that. That boy sticks to you like Bowtruckles to a tree, Lily."  
"We have Charms together later; I'll try to talk to him then. Do you guys have any other classes today?"  
"No. Just a study period. But first - lunch!"  
"You ate an apple during class and a huge stack of pancakes for breakfast, how are you still hungry?" Noah asked with a breathy laugh.  
"It takes a lot to power this overactive brain of mine, Noah, dear."

Lily, Noah and Hana parted ways once at the Great Hall. Lily avoided sitting near Sirius, Remus and James, and the two Ravenclaws headed to their House table to eat some good food. Noah had some more of his favourite dumplings, and Hana helped herself to some rice, miso soup and grilled fish. They began discussing their Herbology homework before their study hall period, as they wouldn't be allowed to speak to one another, and compared their theories and shared their retained information. 

Study hall went by rather slowly. Noah and Hana sat across from each other, alongside other Ravenclaws, and they slowly completed their rolls of parchment on Devil's Snare and Venomous Tentacula. Professor McGonagall was supervising, and Hana could barely glance at Noah before she was on her tail, warning her about keeping quiet. It was only when she was on the other side of the room that Hana and Noah got to make faces at each other or toss little notes across the table. 

Hana was done her homework first, and after handing it in to McGonagall, she headed out into the hallway to wait for Noah. She sat on the parapet walls looking out onto the courtyard and watched a few Hufflepuffs play a rather intense game of Gobstones while waiting. When Noah arrived, they were free to enjoy their free period before dinner. Hana swung her legs over the parapet and jumped down into the courtyard, while Noah went the long way around as not to damage his robes. 

"My mother would have my head if I came home with destroyed robes."  
"Isn't there someone in the common room you could have asked to fix them? Like a fourth year or something."  
"Oh, right."  
"Oi! Breaking news, guys! You want a Daily Prophet for a couple o' sickles!?"

Hana and Noah looked at each other before digging into their pockets for some change. They pulled out a few sickles and tossed them at the boy holding a stack of Daily Prophets.

"Why do we have a paperboy at Hogwarts?" Noah asked quietly.  
"Don't know... but look at this," Hana said, reading the headline.

She began reading.

* * *

**THE DARK LORD RISES**

**In a brief statement this morning, after being attacked by the man himself, Minister for Magic Ignatius Tuft has confirmed what we've all suspected about the recent muggle deaths. "I'm shaken. He came into my house without warning, all cloaked in black, eyes nearly glowing red. He calls himself Lord Voldemort. He's got followers too, Death Eaters, hundreds of them. He threatened to take over, to -- he's threatening a war. Please... I urge the magical population to remain vigilant. The Ministry is currently publishing guides to elementary home and personal defence that will be delivered free to all wizarding homes within the coming weeks."**   
**The Minister's statement was met with dismay and alarm from the wizarding community, which as recently as last Tuesday was receiving Ministry assurance that the Muggle deaths were simply accidents and of no relation to the wizarding world. Details of the attack on the Minister for Magic as well as the content of this Dark Lord's message are still unclear, though it is believed that he and his Death Eaters have been operating under the Ministry and the Aurors' radar for quite some time now and that this information was willingly kept from the public for 'safety purposes'.**   
**More details will follow as the investigation progresses, but for now, be careful out there.**


	11. Holidays

There was a time where Hana didn't even own a television, and she didn't mind it until her Muggle friends spoke to her of a new show featuring a time-travelling doctor, then insisted her father got one in 1963. Akira had complained much, something about television dulling the minds, but then again you could find him sitting in front of the telly each morning watching the news, sipping of a cup of blistering hot, black coffee.

Hana never watched nor cared about the news until now. She'd always thought that the news was quite dull, relaying facts that no one needed to know. However, now, as she gazed at the moving pictures of the Daily Prophet, she found that it was more odd than anything else. Deaths and trauma were presented as drama. They told Wizards things that traumatise them: missing people, dead Muggles, threats of war, and instead of discussing it thoughtfully, helping the reader to digest something so tragic properly, they move on to something funny and lighthearted: " _Celestina Warbeck still the favourite of our own WWN!"_

"I don't understand the news..." Hana muttered to herself.

They were on the train back to King's Cross station now, and Hana had to toss the newspaper back at Noah before she gave herself a headache. 

"What's not to understand?" James asked across from her.  
"It's just so dramatic. Why can't they just report facts and tell people how to deal with it?"  
"'Cause that wouldn't be interesting to read," Sirius stated, chucking a chocolate frog into his mouth.   
"It's not supposed to be interesting. It's the news. It's meant to be informative. A-And then they go and talk about - what's this? Celestina Warbeck? Something happy and joyful?" Hana sighed and crossed her legs. Shea leaned forward onto her knees. "It's like - Imagine if your neighbour came over to give you some bad news and behaved like that. "Oh, hello, Mrs Pike just lost her son to Dragonpox; now did you hear about the one-legged crow that can tap 'God Bless Ye Merry Hippogriffs' with its beak?'"  
"She's got a point," Remus said, nose deep in 'Sonnets of a Sorcerer'.  
"They really should probably be less easygoing with this," Noah added, sinking into his seat. "With all of the Muggle attacks happening over the last year or two, there's no telling when this Lord Voldemort is going to finally strike."  
"Quit your worrying, man," Sirius laughed, nudging Noah's leg with his foot. "The Ministry and the Aurors have got this all under control. This Lord Moldy or whatever is going down."  
"Yeah! And if not, then we'll just take him down ourselves!" James exclaimed proudly, posing dramatically.  
"This is a new level of moronic, even for you," Hana said with a sigh. She stood and fixed her skirt. "I'm going to see Lily. You gonna join, Noah?"  
"Nah, gonna stay here and keep these men sane."

Hana let out a breathy laugh and turned to leave.

"Oi! Tell her I said hi?" James said, hopeful.  
"James, Lily would rather eat her own shoe than exchange words with you."  
"Damn it."  
"Come, Haru."

The feline, who up until then had been curled up at Hana's feet, jumped up and followed the girl out of the compartment. She weaved through the few students that were changing spots like her, the few paper balls being tossed between compartments and the trolley lady from which she bought a few pumpkin pasties. Hana tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear as she checked all the compartments on her way down the train, and eventually came upon Lily's.

"Mind if I join you?"  
"Not at all! I was actually thinking of going to find you, but remembered that you also hang out with _them_ ," Lily said, putting away the book she was reading. "It's sort of boring being alone."  
"You're just used to having Severus with you all the time," Hana chuckled. She took a seat across from Lily and watched Haru jump up and curl up on her lap. "Speaking of Severus, did you end up talking to him about what was going on the other day?"  
"No, he didn't say. I don't wanna point any fingers but..."  
"Yeah, I know. But they're my friends too, and I can't just accuse them all willy-nilly."  
"Oh, it doesn't matter! It's the Easter Holidays! Time to be happy and eat chocolate!" Hana laughed. "Wait, do you even celebrate Easter?"  
"No, I don't actually," Hana said, absent-mindedly petting Haru.  
"Then why didn't you stay at Hogwarts with Severus?"  
"Well, in my hometown, we had a Cherry Blossom festival during this time of year, because it's when the trees bloom. There's a small Japanese quarter in London, and a Spring Festival is going on that I wanted to attend considering I can't go to the one back home. I was going to stay at Hogwarts initially, but I haven't gone to a festival in so long..."

Hana sighed, resigned and weary. It was a sigh so quiet that it would have gone unnoticed save that Lily had been looking directly at Hana. She was eager to go to the festival, but being in a empty house for an entire week wasn't something she was looking forward to, neither was a confrontation with her father about literally anything he wanted to pick at that day.

"I can go with you if you want."

The Ravenclaw blinked, eyes a little wide, and looked to Lily. She seemed eager, a small smile on her face, but her eyes held a touch of sadness, if not empathy. She didn't know why Hana didn't want to go home, but the fact she knew something was wrong was enough to rise a feeling of gratefulness within Hana. 

"You can even stay with me for the week, too. I'm sure my parents won't mind."  
"Really?" Hana gasped, excited.  
"Yeah! You can ask your dad if it's okay when we get to King's Cross."  
"There's no need for that," Hana said, sinking back into her seat. She looked out the window at the passing green fields. "He's not going to be there. I take the bus everywhere. Alone. He doesn't even know I'm coming back for the week. Besides, he's probably out on a business trip anyway."

Hana looked down at her hand. It was shaking slightly, and she tried to hide it by petting Haru, but the feline merely looked up at her, seemingly concerned. 

"Is your father ever home?" Lily asked quietly.  
"Sometimes. I see him in the mornings sometimes, watching the news. Most times he locks himself in his office for hours on end, and then I'll hear the snap of someone apparating, and I know that he's gone again."  
"And your mother?"

For some reason, Hana was surprised to hear Lily ask that. Lily _had_ noticed the tremor in her hand before, but she'd never asked about it. Hana had reluctantly told Severus about her mother's passing, and it's link to the tremor, but she was surprised that he hadn't told Lily. He told her everything.

"Oh, she passed away six years ago."  
"Oh..."

Hana chuckled.

"Severus gave me the same reaction."  
"You told Sev?"  
"Only 'cause he was prying, and I got annoyed."

Lily laughed, and her laughter spread to Hana. The talk of death ceased then and there, and the tremor in Hana's hand slowly began to ease. You could hear the sweet, joyful laughter from a mile away. It would echo through the halls and into every compartment on the train. It was at times like this that Hana enjoyed having a girlfriend. The boys would laugh, but it was all back slaps and heads jerking backwards. The soft giggle that came from Lily was a sound she'd enjoy for a long time. 

It was noon when they'd arrived at King's Cross station, and the platform was occupied by hundreds of pairs of shoes and trunks of all kinds. Under the steady stream of smoke from the train shuffled hundreds of students and some of their pets, including Haru, who had once again refused to enter his carry-on. Sometimes, Hana wondered why she'd ever bothered to buy one in the first place.

Upon disembarking, Hana weave her way through the younger and older students all the way to the front where she found the boys. She gave them all a farewell hug, much to their embarrassment, and turned back to Lily who'd already seen her parents in the crowd. Mr and Mrs Evans looked as pleasant as pleasant could be. Their eyes were bright, wrinkling at just the right places, and their smiles radiated when looking at their daughter.

"Mum, Dad, this is Hana, the friend I was just telling you about."  
"It's so nice to meet you," Mr Evans said. "Lily has told us a lot about you."  
" _Anata ni o ai dekite kōeidesu_ ," Hana greeted, then bowed deeply. She rose again and spoke, "It's a pleasure to meet you."  
"Oh, so polite," Mrs Evans giggled to her husband.  
"Is it okay if Hana stays with us for the week? We want to go to a Spring Festival this week, and we figured it'd be easier if we stuck together."  
"It's all right with us if it's okay with your parents, dear," Mrs Evans said, looking around for someone resembling Hana.  
"My dad is on a business trip abroad, so..."

Mrs Evans put a comforting hand on Hana's shoulder.

"If there is ever a holiday you don't want to spend at Hogwarts, dear, just tell our Lily, all right? No one should be alone during the holidays."  
" _Arigatōgozaimashita_. Thank you."


	12. The Spring Festival

Hana had never been so happy to be in the back seat of an old car. As the engine hummed in the deserted country roads of Cokeworth, she relished the roaring wins that twirled her long black hair and whistled in her ears. She and Lily sang to the songs of the Beach Boys that her father had put on, and they danced in the back seat like nobody was watching. Children on bicycles turned their heads as the car passed through the streets, and Hana waved at some of them out of curiosity. Never had she seen so many people riding their bikes together at once.

Lily lived beyond the small suburb of the Cokeworth town, and once the children on bikes had been passed, they turned onto a dirt path that lead to what looked like an endless field. Hana's eyes got lost in the expanse of green. There were more hues than anyone had ever names, yet there they were for the eyes to see. The land rolled like the rice fields of Kunigami, all the way to the horizon and beyond. To the left, in the distance, there was a house, and beyond that another neighbourhood, though this one was darker and grim. 

The house had walls the colour of cream with window frames of mahogany. It was welcoming, from the open door to the wide hallway, and the gentle crackle of the fire of the hearth. Upon the walls were the photographs of children so obviously loved. The floor was a traditional parquet with a blend of deep homely browns, and the walls were the greens of summer gardens meeting a bold white baseboard. Beyond the bannister that was a twirl of a branch, the radio played softly, and the smell of fresh cinnamon buns wafted to Hana's nose. Under the lamplight, the home was nature's art, something that soothed right to the soul, far different from the cold grey walls of home. 

"It's not much, but it's home," Lily said with a small shrug.  
"What are you talking about? It's beautiful!" Hana said, smiling. "It... It almost reminds me of home."

It was the cottage in Japan that Hana called home, and Lily knew it. Mr Evans hauled the girls' things up the stairs, the second to last one creaking as he put his weight on it. He announced that dinner would be in an hour and left the girl to their own devices. Eagerly, Lily pulled on Hana's sleeve and dragged her to a room at the end of the hall. The bedroom was filled with more warmth than Hana had seen in many years. On the back wall was a mural, a tree with every colour of autumn leaf imaginable and a few more beside it. One the pine bed was a hand-embroidered red cover with a golden lion emblazoned on it. From every wall smiled pictures that Lily had taken of herself, Noah, Hana and Severus, either individually or together: Lily and Noah pulling faces at the camera, Hana sitting and reading a book, she and Severus sitting beside each other by the lake at Hogwarts. On the window sill sat a vase with a few wildflowers, and a tower of books was stacked on the bedside, all of them carefully worn. 

"That blanket is very Gryffindor," Hana chuckled.  
"Come on, don't tell me you're not going to cover every inch of your room with Ravenclaw stuff when you get back to your house for the summer," Lily retorted.  
"Oh, definitely."  
"Besides, my mum made it for me. I gotta show it off."  
"Speaking of which, why are you showing off pictures of me on your walls? When did you take these?" Hana asked, inspecting a picture of herself laughing beside Severus.  
"That, my dear, is a secret."

* * *

Hana was used to rude awakenings; however, this time, it was a pleasant one. Instead of waking up to twins screaming at each other, Hana woke up to Lily jumping on her bed. Slowly and reluctantly, she uncovered her face. She blinked, closed her eyes, and blinked again. The giggles coming from the redhead were almost contagious, but the laughter reached Hana when Lily began hitting her with a soft down pillow. As quick as a fox, the Ravenclaw snatched a pillow from the bed and rammed Lily with it. Within seconds it was a full-blown war, with the girls running down the hall and then the stairs, chasing each other, each with a pillow in hand. 

The smell of bacon lured the girls from their war, and they tossed their pillows onto the corduroy sofa, ready to eat. Lily got out some orange juice and maple syrup from the fridge, and Hana set the table just as Mrs Evans was finishing up breakfast. The girls were already halfway through a meal when Lily's sister walked down the stairs to join them. Now, Hana knew not to judge people that she'd just met, however, in the short time that she'd been at Lily's, Hana knew that she did not like Petunia. The girl was not only surly-looking, but she also made a point to diminish Lily's worth because she was a witch. It was also apparent, Hana had determined, in the few days that she'd spent at the Evans', that Petunia also held no appreciation towards her either. She was a 'freak', a 'foreigner', a witch. And even though Lily insisted on being friendly with her, Hana couldn't find it in her heart to do the same. One morning, as Hana was heading into the bathroom to wash her face, Petunia had tripped her, and so, as revenge, Hana had emptied Petunia's lotion bottle into the toilet and filled it with shampoo. The screams were terrific.

Now, it was the day before they had to return to Hogwarts, and everyone was getting ready to go out. Today was the day of the festival in London, and while Petunia was fuming over having to spend an hour and a half in the car with two witches, Lily and Hana were ecstatic. The Japanese girl had hyped up the festival for her friend so much that she was almost more excited for it than to return to Hogwarts the next day. As Hana changed in the bathroom, Lily sat outside the door and listened to her speak of the festivals from back home, where the cherry blossom petals draped the ground like a blanket of pale pink. The petals blew in the wind and fell into everyone's hair like snow in spring.

"And it always smelled so good. The flowers I mean. I can never forget that smell."  
"Must've been amazing, Hana," Lily said with a gentle smile.  
"It really was."

Hana soon emerged, clad in a sky blue yakata that was speckled with embroidered white blossoms. The obi was a raspberry red, and a lovely dragonfly brooch was clipped to the front.

"What! you look so fancy!"  
"Technically, this is the least formal kimono," Hana chuckled. "And I still have to put up my hair."  
"Woah, I want to wear one now..."  
"I do have an extra yukata with me. I wasn't sure which one I'd want to wear, so I brought both that I had with me-"  
"You'd let me wear it!?"  
"Of course! It's a festival. You're sort of supposed to."  
"Yes, yes, yes!"

Soon enough, Lily was clad in a yukata, this time green in colour, with embroidered leaves forming a subtle pattern. The obi was cream coloured, and a butterfly brooch was clasped to the front. Hana put up Lily's hair first, then put up her own, and then both girls were ready to go to the Spring Festival. Of course, Lily had tossed her camera to her parents and asked them to take pictures of them clad in their lovely outfits, to which Petunia's only response was to roll her eyes and gag, and then they were off. With Petunia on one side, Lily in the middle and Hana on the other, the backseat was filled with joy and a little discomfort being bunched up together. Still, it was nothing compared to the reward of attending the festival. 

It was more grandiose than Hana had been expecting, and most of the Japanese quarter was filled with people of all ethnicities. The festival was a place of unrestrained joy. The costumes and yukata were as colourful as a summer garden, a riot of colour to rival the rainbow itself. Bold yellows, magenta, cyan and emerald green, sequins were sparkling in the brilliant afternoon sun and petals from baskets being tossed from balconies up high to mimic the cherry blossoms. Music filled the air, festive beats that Hana recognised lifted the spirits and made the people want to move, jump and sing. Hana and Lily marched down the middle of the crowd, the latter taking pictures as she went, with bubbles and petals mingling in the air before their eyes. Food sellers weaved through the masses, and Hana made Lily try a plethora of Asian street foods that she'd never forget, and the aroma of their wares perfumed the air. The parade and the performers danced their way down the street that was usually jammed with cars, but today it was a time to celebrate the spring and the life that it brought, celebrate the wonders of the earth, to be one with the community.

"Oh my god, what is this?" Lily asked, chewing on something that Hana had given her.  
"It's _taiyaki_. Basically it's a fried pastry filled with anything from red bean paste, to custard, to chocolate. The custard ones are my favourite."  
"Hana," Lily said very seriously all of a sudden.  
"Uh, yes?"  
"We're coming back next year."

Hana laughed and agreed, and both girls enjoyed the festival until the fireworks came out and they had to return home to get some rest, as the train wouldn't wait for sleepy little girls drunk on happiness.


	13. You Promised, Remember?

The train ride back to Hogwarts had been longer than the trip out. Neither Lily nor Hana were disappointed to return, but it was safe to say that they both would have preferred to have another few days to themselves. At least they made some memories that they'd never forget. Hana had even agreed to pose for some pictures, but never with a smile, only with grimaces. Lily liked them anyway, and a few of them were stashed in one of Hana's bags. She planned on pinning them to her four-poster when she went to her dorm.

The welcome feast was as grand as usual. Different kinds of food had been laid out on each house table, and the Great Hall was filled with the sounds of avid chattering. Hana had invited Severus and Lily to the Ravenclaw table with her and Noah to talk about their holiday. Noah didn't have much to share, other than there were too many relatives in his house this week, all of them talking about the horrible news they'd read in the Daily Prophet. He also asked Hana to sniff his hair a few times, worried that he still smelled like his aunt's perfume even though he'd showered twice after she'd left. 

"How was your holiday Severus?" Lily asked, digging into her curry.  
"Got around to reading _The Picture of Dorian Grey_ , like you recommended."  
"Oh, you mean, ' _Selling Your Soul For a Picture Probably Isn't Worth It_.'  
"Hana..."  
" _Narcissism and Consequences,"_ Severus added nonchalantly.  
" _Although I'm a Complete Wanker, I am In Fact a Victim of Suggestion Under the Influence of Another Complete Wanker._ "   
" _I'm a Murderer, But Everything is Perspective."  
_" _If You're Not Young and Pretty You Might As Well Just Die._ "  
"You guys are impossible..."

* * *

Finally. Some time alone.

After her classes of the day, Hana slipped away from all her friends. She was soon passing the sign to the library that read, ' _A warning: If you rip, tear, shred, bend, fold, deface, disfigure, smear, smudge, throw, drop, or in any other manner damage, mistreat, or show lack of respect towards this book, the consequences will be as awful as it is within my power to make them._ ' Hana rolled her eyes and pushed open the doors. It never stopped to amaze her how big this library was; tens of thousands of books; thousands of shelves; hundreds of narrow rows. Hana violated the reference section. So much that she had to make a few trips from the shelves to her chosen table to stack books. A few students looked on, concerned, but seeing the Ravenclaw uniform she donned they stopped asking questions. 

_One Thousand_ _Magical Herbs & Fungi, Common Magical Ailments & Afflictions, Healer's Helpmate, Healing at Home with Herbs, Weird Wizarding Dilemmas and Their Solutions_ \- all of them amongst dozens of books now open on her table. Hana's hair was up in a frenzy, an unused quill holding it together. Her left hand was hovering over books, shaking lightly, her right flipping through common ailments. Something was wrong with Remus, and whether he liked it or not, Hana was going to help him. If only she could just figure out what it is was wrong with him.

And then something hit her. It was the timing, the spacing, the frequency of his sickness. It usually lasted a week, and that was about the duration of the common cold; however, a bug didn't knock you out for days and make you look like you'd seen death and barely lived to tell the tale. 

Hana stood, nearly knocking her chair back, and headed back to the rows of books, running her fingers along the spines. Her fingers landed on the book that she wanted, but she hesitated a moment before grabbing it. It was a third year's textbook for Defense Against the Dark Arts, and rifling through it Hana found her hand started to shake. When she dropped the book, she cursed quietly at her trembling hand.

"Just work, damn it."

Heaving a massive sigh, Hana picked up the book with her right hand and returned to her table. She watched herself flex her fingers, annoyed, until her hand steadied, and then returned to turning pages. 

"Hags... Redcaps... Hinkypunks..." Hana paused on page 394. "Let's see... pallor, ill health... irritability... tiredness-- Oh, Rem. Why didn't you tell us about this?"  
"Tell you what?"

Hana couldn't have slammed the book faster than she did then. Severus was standing across the table, an eyebrow raised at her. He wouldn't have questioned the sudden movement had he not seen the tremor in her left hand again.

"Ignore that," Hana said, crossing her arms. "And what I said. I'm just babbling and searching for something. I'm in one of those frenzies, you know?"  
"I can tell by the rat's nest on your head," Severus said plainly as he sat down. He moved a few pillars of books out of the way so that he could see Hana. "And the fact that half your uniform in hanging off your chair."  
"It's just my cloak, cardigan and tie. So, yeah, basically my entire uniform - you're right. Damn it. Well, at least we aren't keeping score."  
"Maybe we should. I'd win by a landslide."  
"As if," Hana scoffed. She stood and began collecting books. "Ugh, why'd I grab so many..."  
"Because you're insane."  
"Thank you, Captain Obvious. You going to help me or not?"  
"I came here to study, not to pick up your mess," Severus said, scribbling in a textbook.  
"Rude."

Hana rolled up her sleeves, got her hair out of her face and began bringing stacks of books back to their rightful places. By the time she was done, the library was closing, and Madam Pince was shooing out the last of the students into the hallway, including Hana, who'd just barely had enough time to collect her bag and most of her uniform before the door slammed behind her. 

"God, woman..." she muttered to herself.  
"At least you weren't locked in."  
"You waited for me, Severus?"  
"I thought you'd get locked in and wanted a good laugh," he said, starting to walk off.  
"You're a complete arse, Severus Snape," Hana chuckled.

As she ran to catch up to Severus, Hana haphazardly threw on her cardigan and cloak. After slowing down to his side, she took her tie and used it as a bandanna to keep her hair in place. The boy beside her looked sceptical about her 'look', but nearly laughed when she posed with her tongue sticking out at him.

"You're mad, Yukimura."  
"Hana."  
"Whatever."

Hana smiled. The two friends continued down the darkened halls of Hogwarts in complete silence. It was somewhat comforting, like a silence between two long-time friends even though they weren't at all. They arrived first to the doors to the dungeons, and as Severus was heading down the dark stairs, Hana followed.

"Hey, Severus?"  
"You're going to get us caught out after curfew," he said, deadpan, as he continued down the stairs.  
"Right," Hana said quietly. "Nevermind then. I'll see you tomorrow in Defense Against the Dark Arts."

She calmly turned and went back up the stairs.

"You know, if you keep using that tone of voice, I might start feeling guilty."

Hana stopped and turned. Severus had come back up a few steps. He looked annoyed and probably was more than she thought, but Hana was grateful that he'd stopped to listen.

"Before break... Did something happen? When you were late to class, I mean."  
"Oh, that," Severus said sharply. "No. I was just late."  
"Sev?"  
"What?"  
"I know you're lying," Hana said calmly.  
"I'm not lying."  
"You promised you'd tell me if anything was wrong. Remember?"

Just as Severus was about to speak, Hana held up a hand to silence him. Her voice was calm when she spoke, but her eyes were cold.

"Just remember that you promised, all right?" Hana smiled sadly. "Goodnight, Severus."


	14. Sealed Fate

"You're going to fall off your broom, you know."  
"Shut up, Snowflake, I got this! Just watch the master!"  
"Right-" a beat-"is that why you're face-first on the ground?"

It was a sunlit day of late spring, and the sky held a soft blue glow. The weather was the kind that felt like a kiss of summer without the fiery heat of noontime in August. The grass was a soft green, and its colour was now stained onto Sirius' cheek. Hana stopped midair to laugh at him, and James, Remus and Noah laughed as well.

"Oi! You're no better Xiang!"

Sirius, from below, tapped on Noah's foot. Because Noah was such a poor flier, that was all it took to send him toppling off his broom and crashing into the boy who'd caused this in this first place. 

"Children, this is no time for leisure!" Madam Hooch shouted, rushing over to get both boys back on their brooms. "Come now! Laps, please!"

Hana laughed again, and she and James sped off before Sirius could join them. Noah stuck to the ground, as he wasn't confident being more than two feet above it. But after spending a lot of time flying alongside James and Sirius these past few months, Hana had grown quite adept at it herself. Rolls and loops came gradually with bravery - as well as some coaxing from James - and soon they were both the best fliers in their year.

James liked it because he thought he looked all cool in front of Lily, but Hana liked it just for the feeling of the wind through her hair. She'd always loved the wind - it reminded her of home. In the colder months, it roused her to wakefulness when she forgot to close the windows the night before. In soft breezes, it was more delicate than silk, smoother than water. In the gusts it sang through the fields, sending loose leaves on a dancing funfair which Hana loved to follow. In the summertime, the wind was cooling, allowing the warmth to gently enter muscle and bone while the skin remained at ease. Today was no different. Out in the sun, Hana absorbed the bright light and the colours, taking a moment to watch the snitch that a Gryffindor had let loose by accident.

* * *

In ancient times, men used the magical symbols in the night sky for navigation. These star patterns saved a lot of lives in the old ages. Some stars faded, other still shone, each one of them having its own unique shape, level of brightness and size. Today, these stars were being observed by millions of people blanketed in the darkness of the night. 

Here, at Hogwarts, it was midnight, and dozens upon dozens of brass and silver telescopes were gleaming in the starlight. It was a perfect night for stargazing, cloudless and still. The grounds were bathed in silvery moonlight, and there was a slight chill in the air. Professor Sinistra weaved through the students and pointed out their mistakes, then guided them through the sky and to the correct answers. All was quiet except for the rustle of parchment, the occasional creak of a telescope as it was adjusted on its stand, and the scribbling of many quills.

Hana took a sip of water from her gourd. Beside her, James and Sirius were trying hard not to giggle too loud looking through their telescopes at enlarged and distorted versions of themselves. Noah was jotting down notes on a roll of parchment ever few seconds, occasionally glancing back into the spyglass for reference. However, Remus was concentrated - too concentrated. Every once in awhile he nervously looked up at the nearly full moon.

"Hey, Rem?"

Remus hummed in acknowledgement.

"You okay? You're staring at the moon as if it were going to eat you."  
"Hm... yeah..."  
"Rem, my skin is turning purple."  
"Yeah..."  
"Rem, the telescope is stuck in my eye."  
"Yeah..."  
"Rem, I'm dying."  
"WHAT!?"

The shriek pierced the night, and the clatter of Remus' telescope added insult to injury. Professor Sinistra scolded them both, and Remus spent the next few minutes apologising profusely. James, Sirius and Noah laughed for a while, but Sinistra ended up scolding them too. 

"Hana!" he whispered loudly. "Was that necessary?"  
"Mate, I told you my skin was turning purple, and you didn't move an inch," Hana sighed, writing something down on her parchment. "I was asking whether you were okay or not."  
"Oh, uh, yeah, I'm fine."

Hana pulled a face and sighed. Clearly, he wasn't fine. His mind was someplace else, his skin was sallow, and he looked like he hadn't slept in days. No wonder - the full moon was three days away. 

And it was on that night that Hana did something rather... uncalculated. 

A milky white light poured into the room, spilling across the floor in a large puddle. All the plants that Hana had accumulated during the year soaked up the valuable, pale light cascading over their leaves. The light flowed throughout the room and onto Hana's bed, rousing her from the light slumber she was in.

Without waking up her roommates, Hana tiptoed to the edge of her bed and swung on her cloak. She slipped on a pair of thin shoes, grabbed her wand and crept outside of her dorm room. The halls were dark and dimly lit with only a few torches, and it was hard to wander about the castle without running into a teacher or a ghost wandering about, looking for students out of bed. It didn't help that the caretaker was nearly burning with the desire to punish students. The next time Hana would do this, she'd have to memorise the staffs' rounds. 

Suddenly, Hana heard voices ahead and hid behind a suit of armour in the entrance. It was Madam Pomfrey, who was rushing Remus out of the castle. She followed them out, and Hana suppressed a shiver. It was colder than she expected it would be. Nevertheless, Hana followed her friend and the nurse down through the courtyard, over the castle grounds and directly towards the large and quite violent Whomping Willow. 

Curious, Hana got a little closer. Madam Pomfrey pointed her wand at something in the ground, and as soon as she did, the unruly swinging branches of the willow halted just long enough for Remus to scurry underneath it. After a moment, Madam Pomfrey returned in the direction of the castle. Without much thought, Hana walked up to the tree. She tried to look around for whatever it was that Madam Pomfrey had used to calm the tree, but one of the branches came swinging at her before she could find it. She dodged it narrowly by throwing herself out of the way, but her back landed on something rather hard. All of a sudden, the tree's branches calmed.

"A knot..." Hana muttered, looking down. "Useful."

Hana looked up ahead and darted for a dark opening in the roots of the branches. She tumbled down the hole and eventually halted at the base.

"Ah, _kuso_..." she muttered under her breath. She brought her hand up to her side and winced. "That's going to bruise."

Painfully, Hana stood up and wandered down the earthy hallway before her. The surroundings were damp and cold, and Hana could barely see more than a few feet ahead of her. It was eerily quiet, nothing but the occasional sound of water dropping to the ground reached Hana's ears. 

With her fingertips grazing the wall, serving as a guide in the darkness, Hana continued down the path, hoping for an exit. Eventually, there came the light at the end of the tunnel. Above her was a small trap door, and it took everything for Hana to climb up and crawl out of the tunnel. Beyond the trap door was a room, a very disordered, dusty room. Paper was peeling from the walls; there were stains all over the floor; every piece of furniture was broken as though somebody had smashed it. The windows were all boarded up, and it seemed as though the door that once served as an exit was also boarded up. 

Further ahead, there was a foyer and a staircase that lead to a second floor. For a moment, Hana wondered how stable it would be, and if it'd collapse under her meagre weight if she decided to venture up there. However, her attention was brought to the boy who was kneeling at the centre of the foyer. He was shaking and breathing heavily. Hana took out her wand and cautiously approached him.

"Rem... is that you?"

It was clearly Remus' face that looked back at her through the darkness. However, as he got closer, it seemed as though he was looking less and less like himself. From the shadows came a wolf, but it wasn't an ordinary one. The snout was shorter, the tail tufted, its eyes human. It took a step forward, and Hana's breath caught in her throat. The silence was gone; the beating of her heart had grown louder and pounded in her head like a drum. Alongside it was the sound of the creatures' breathing, taking in Hana's foreign scent. The girl took a step back, and the werewolf curled up its gums to reveal yellow stained teeth. A low rumbling growl filled the room.

This might've been Remus mere seconds ago, but that kind boy was gone now. Hana knew that, and she knew that if she didn't do something soon, her fate would be sealed. In seconds, her throat would be ripped out, flesh consumed, blood staining the dusty old floors. It was only a matter of time... or luck.


	15. "Sleepwalking"

Lady Luck, it would seem, was not on Hana's side on this brightly moon-lit night.

Remus' pale and sallow skin had split like tree bark. Wiry black hairs had sprouted, and his once kind brown eyes melted into a vicious yellow. His bones moved under his skin like mechanical snakes; audible cracks sliced through him and his feet cemented into the ground. He was not himself anymore; he was a monster—a monster whose snapping jaws were heading directly for Hana's head.

She tried to dodge the snarling maw, and she did, but only just. While the sharp teeth didn't reach her, the werewolf's claws grazed her arm. Hana breathed in sharply and looked to her arm. A few beads of blood were blooming. She didn't have time to analyse more. The werewolf ran at her again, and this time Hana ran up the stairs, which seemed much safer now that there was a werewolf in the room. One of the floorboards gave way, and her leg went through. There was blood on her shin now. Panicked, Hana pulled out her leg, disregarding the injury that she was worsening, and dashed up the rest of the way.

She bolted into the first room she reached and slammed the door shut. Perhaps, in retrospect, there was no point in locking the door with a simple spell, but it relieved some form of stress in Hana's mind. At least until the werewolf burst in through the door as if it were wafer-thin. Hana pointed her wand at the beast, and it didn't even pause before it. For a moment, Hana remembered that it was Remus deep down inside. A part of her wanted to try and reason with the beast, try and pry Remus from the depths of the creatures black heart, but the Ravenclaw knew all too well that that was quite useless, and so she put the only offensive spell she knew to the test. Would it work on such an immense creature?

"I'm sorry about this, Rem." Hana took a deep breath. " _Flippendo_!"

A pale blue light shot out from the tip of Hana's cherry-wood wand and hit the werewolf straight in the face. It fell back a few feet and destroyed one of the posts on a rather nice-looking but dusty bed. It went to come back for her again, but Hana shot the same spell at it once again. It seemed as though the second shot was more effective. Although it hadn't sent the werewolf much further than the last spell, the creature seemed at least wearier of the wand-wielder and jogged out of the room and down the stairs. 

Hana's breath was shaky, and she could finally hear that now that the beating of her heart had significantly slowed. Soon the shock wore off, and the pain in her arm and leg became all too great. However, it wasn't over yet. Whatever this house was, and whatever it had been used for in the past, it was clear to Hana that it was now the perfect place to contain a rampaging werewolf. The problem was that Hana couldn't hear any more growls or snarls. The creature had gotten away, and there was still a long way to go before the break of dawn broke the curse on Remus. So, Hana ran after the beast. Once again, against her better judgement. Though, if she thought long and hard enough, she could reason that she was protecting herself, the students, Remus himself. She'd bring the werewolf back to the creepy old shack, and she'd keep him there. There was no use getting anyone else involved or even hurt.

Yes. Yes, that made sense.

Hana jumped over the hole in the staircase and crawled back down the hole that she came from. She stared at the opening when she landed. One day, Remus would be too big to crawl back in his werewolf form. How long would that be, she wondered. Probably in her third year. Remus looked like the type to grow an entire foot overnight.

She nodded, content with her thinking, and went off. She crawled up the hole and evaded the Whomping Willow's branches, then dashed into the nearby forest, hoping that that was where the werewolf had went. Soon after that, her clothes and hair began to cling to her skin, slick with perspiration. Hana swatted a mosquito. She could feel and hear her heartbeat again - it was throbbing inside her almost painfully. Eventually, she slowed to a slow jog and then a full halt. She was gasping, lungs burning for air. After all this running around a forest with quite the forbidden entry, her legs felt sore, numb and unsteady. Her throat was dry, and she silently prayed for this to come to an end. And then an idea came.

"Hana Yukimura, you're going to get yourself killed," she muttered to herself.

The girl coughed once, clearing her throat, and then howled as loud as she could despite her dry throat being dangerously out of breath. There was no movement. Slowly, Hana began to retrace her steps, howling every few feet to attract the beast's attention. Once she made it to the clearing, Hana thought all was lost. However, a low howl echoed back towards her. The Ravenclaw howled again. It was only seconds before the same deep howl returned. 

Then, a few hundred feet away, Hana spotted the werewolf.

"Oh, shit."

The girl burst into a run again. The only thing keeping her going was the pure adrenaline rushing through her veins, that as well as the fear of being eaten alive by one of her friends. 

Once again, she dodged the Whomping Willow and found the knot in the ground, pressed it firmly with her wand, and watched the willow slow down to a docile state. Hana waited for the werewolf to be close enough before diving down into the hole and running back up to the shack where this all started. However, this time, Hana waited by the opening. When the werewolf went through, she knocked over some heavy furniture with the only offensive she knew, blocking the creature's return to the outside world. Now, all that remained was herself and the wolf within the confines of a small decrepit shack. 

Hana didn't waste any time using the Knockback Jinx again, and as the wolf flew back a few feet, the girl hid behind a large wardrobe. Rationally, Hana knew that this wouldn't do much. After all, the werewolf could probably smell her. However, the creature seemed to have lot interest. It couldn't see the prey, and the passage was blocked. Hana peeped around the wardrobe, and she kept an eye on the werewolf. If she was being honest with herself, Hana didn't want to keep an eye on it. It was vicious. With nothing left to attack, the beast began attacking itself, lacerating its own skin with its long and sharp claws. Hana choked down a cry. Even though it was the werewolf hurting itself, it would be Remus who'd be left to suffer after all this. 

The werewolf let out a pained cry as it slashed at its face. Hana couldn't bear to watch anymore. So she turned to back to the werewolf and steadied her breathing. She was hoping that this nightmare would come to an end. But it wouldn't for many more hours, and when it did end, it wasn't pleasant all the same. The werewolf's cries mingled with the growing sobs of a young boy until all that was left was silence. 

Deciding it safe, as the sun had begun to rise, Hana came out from her hiding spot, wand pointed directly in front of her. She was understandably fearful. After all, the gashes on her arm and legs weren't an illusion. The small broken boy in front of her was a full werewolf only a few hours ago, and she couldn't take any chances. Hana poked him once or twice with her wand, and then shrugged off her cloak. She draped it over Remus and considered waiting until he woke up. However she really couldn't afford to miss classes at this point in the term, so Hana, with immense difficulty, lugged Remus over her shoulder, and carried him all the way to the castle, not without a few stumbles and falls along the way.

Poppy Pomfrey barely knew what to say when the two eleven-year-olds wandered into her infirmary. She managed a small shriek and muttered a few things for Hana to fetch before sending her off to her dorm room. She didn't like the idea of leaving Remus so soon, but it was clear that Madam Pomfrey didn't want her there, for whatever reason. So, Hana trekked back to her dorm room, full of blood, dirt and grime, and collapsed onto her bed for a mere half-hour, before the cuckoo-clock one of the sisters had put up woke her from much-needed sleep.

Hana lumbered over to the bathroom and turned on the water in the shower. Her toes flinched as they touched the cold water. She adjusted the temperature and let her body sag under the warm water. Her hair flattened and darkened, not that it could much as it was about as black as Sirius' surname, and the grime slowly began to rinse off. As she scrubbed, some red trickled down and mingled at the bottom of the tub. Hana watched it go down the drain with a mixture of fascination and horror. She took a much longer shower than usual, sitting at the bottom of the bath for a while, contemplating everything that had happened.

Remus was a werewolf. She'd seen it with her very eyes. He'd attacked her - or at least the werewolf did. She was injured. And Hana was somehow... unbothered by it. She was more fascinated than horrified, looking back at the blood going down the drain. She'd learned something incredible, albeit terrifying, and yes she'd gotten injured, but Hana was more concerned with the fact that she'd have to explain the small limp and the gash on her arm. 

"Good God, woman!" Noah had exclaimed upon seeing her as she exited the bathroom. "You look like you wrestled a Manticore in your sleep."  
"It was a Werewolf," Hana replied, deadpan. She sat at the edge of her bed and put on her shoes. "Nearly killed me. Twice. Or was it three times?"  
"Merlin... did you sleep at all?"  
"A refreshing thirty minutes, I think."  
"Oi! What's that on your arm!?"

Hana looked down at her arm. She was too tired and lazy to bring down her sleeve. Screw it, she thought. Make something up.

" _Shirimasen_. Probably sleep-walked and got in a fight with a suit of armour or something."  
"You know, however unlikely that sounds, I wouldn't put it past you."

Crisis averted. Hana breathed a slow sigh of relief, and finally lowered her sleeve. They both packed up their things and left for breakfast. Noah noted that Hana was missing her tie, but she hadn't the time or patience to go back for it, owing to the need to respond to a riddle when her brain was most likely working on only two per cent capacity. Instead, she'd take the docked points as per usual, and make a note to remember it for Friday. Of course, one of these days Flitwick would have her head for never wearing the uniform correctly, but honestly, that little goblin man needed to set his priorities straight. They'd both live peaceful lives with or without a tidy, or in this case, complete uniform.

"Yukimura. Your uniform is out of place again."

Hana rolled her eyes. Today it wasn't Flitwick that was going to dock her points. Apparently it would be Slughorn, and honestly, she had better things to do that to watch that self-important man's moustache move. The girl turned and smiled sweetly.

"I'm aware. Please, do take away house points as quickly as you can manage, sir. I'd quite like to eat breakfast."

Slughorn frowned upon seeing the lack of sleep that showed on her face, and he let her off with a warning before setting off to the teacher's table. Noah and Hana silently veered off towards the Gryffindor table.

"Oi, what is it that gave Slughorn such a-- GOD DAMN!" Sirius said, cutting himself off with a shout. "Those are the biggest eye-bags I have ever seen. Including on Remus."  
"Speaking of Remus, where is he?" James asked.  
"It's that weird time of the month he gets sick again, remember?" Noah commented, shoving a piece of pancake in his mouth.  
"Ohhh, is that why you didn't sleep? Were you up all night all scared and worried for your little Remus?"  
"Shut your gob, Potty," Hana snapped. "I had a sequence of nightmares which prevented me from getting any good night sleep, and I'm pretty sure I sleep-walked around the castle and got into a fight with a suit of armour."

Sirius and James gaped at her.

"Excuse me what?"


	16. Hide and Seek

Friday had come quicker than any teacher would have liked. It meant that they'd have to deal with a fair amount of grading on homework while all the students were out and about the grounds of Hogwarts or, if they were third years and above, traipsing around Hogsmeade with their stomachs full of butterbeer. But despite the beautiful weather and the incredible amount of complaints from her friends, Hana remained indoors on Saturday. There were much more important things on her mind than prancing about the castle and lazying around the beech tree they spent most of their time at.

Instead, straight after breakfast, Hana made her way towards the infirmary. When she entered the room, Madam Pomfrey almost steered her out, but she recognised Hana immediately. She was the girl who brought Remus in.

"You're a lucky one."  
"Pardon?" Hana said, confused.  
"Firstly, you weren't seriously injured. Secondly, Dumbledore seems quite all right with you knowing about Mr Lupin's condition."  
"Well, I should hope so. I'm his friend."

Madam Pomfrey smiled.

"How long will you be staying?"  
"Not long. I just wanted to make sure he was okay."  
"Well, if he wakes up, you can take him with you. Mr Lupin has my all-clear to leave today." She picked up a bottle of translucent blue liquid. "Now, excuse me. I have other patients to tend to."

Hana nodded and went over to Remus' bed. He was still sleeping, but the colour had returned to his face, and whatever injuries he'd sustained two nights ago had healed up quite well. However, Hana noticed the new scar on his chin. Would Noah, James and Sirius notice too?

The girl stayed for a little while, sitting on a chair beside Remus' bed. She watched him breathe calmly and thought of many things. How could a sweet boy like Remus be cursed at such an age? How is it that no one had figured it out yet? Should she tell James, Sirius and Noah? One thing was for sure, Hana was going to go with him to that shack every month, and she was going to learn more spells. Someone had to keep Remus from hurting himself, and it wasn't as if anyone else was going to do it. 

After a while, Hana got up and left the Hospital Wing. Remus didn't look like he was going to wake up for a while, so there wasn't any point in staying. Instead, Hana went to the library. There was a Charms paper due on Monday, and she hadn't even started it yet. So, the Ravenclaw checked out a few books and left Pince's lair for the more favourable study spot of the odd circulation of rocks above the Gamekeeper's hut. There was a gentle breeze, the sun was shining down, and the wildflowers' scent was delightful. 

Hana was lucky that she hadn't been spotted by anyone she knew on her way down, as it would have been clear that she'd never get her Charms homework done if she had been. However, Hana hadn't been the only person looking to spend some time in this particular spot. Only a few minutes after Hana had settled down, and only _just_ as she was about to begin studying, Lily and Severus showed up.

"Hana!" Lily said happily. "Oh, that's perfect!"  
"What is?" Hana asked, suddenly no longer annoyed by their presence and now only confused.  
"Well, you can keep Sev company."  
"Lily, I don't need to be babysat. I can spend my time alone in the library," Severus complained.  
"Why? Where're you going?" Hana said, setting down one of her books.  
"Promised Mary MacDonald that I'd help her with Potions homework today. I'm off there now. I was just following Sev to wherever he was going so that I knew where to find him later," Lily explained, backing away. "I'll see you two later, yeah?"  
"See you, Lily!"

Lily waved and ran off, leaving Severus behind with Hana. He sat down, pulled out some of his own books, then looked at Hana straight in the face.

"You look like you died and came back to life."  
"That's very kind of you to say, Severus."  
"Did you even sleep?"  
"And why should I tell you? After all, you can't be bothered to tell me why you were late to class a few days ago."

Severus sighed.

"It was just a couple of fourth-years being fourth years. One of them nabbed my potions book and hid it. Spent most of the morning trying to find it. That's why I was late. You happy now?"  
"Yes. You give in so easily, Severus," Hana laughed.  
"Shut up. I just didn't want to hear you whine about it anymore. Even Lily's been giving me grief about it."  
"Then don't hide anything from us, _baka_."  
"Yeah, yeah."  
"Now, if you don't mind, I've got two feet of parchment to write for Charms on Monday," Hana said with a sigh.   
"Want me to leave?"

Hana looked at Severus and blinked stupidly.

"Leave? Why?"  
"To leave you alone? So you can concentrate? Didn't you come here to be alone, anyway?" Severus said. "I can go to the library like I sai--"

Hana chuckled.

"I'm not going to kick you out of here, Severus. You don't bother me."

The girl smiled briefly at him and reopened her books. All of a sudden, there was a yell nearby, followed by laughter.

"Who the fuck--"  
"Language," Severus said calmly.  
"Sorry. Whom the fuck--"  
"No."

Hana sighed and rolled her eyes, then tossed her book aside.

"But seriously though, who's the idiot?" She crawled over to the edge of the cliff and looked down. "Oh."  
"Oh?"

The girl went back to her spot rather quickly.

"It's James and Sirius."  
"What the hell are _they_ doing here?" Severus snarled.  
"Pushing each other off pumpkins apparently," Hana sighed.

It really wasn't a good time for James and Sirius to be nearby. Not only was she trying to do her homework, which they'd never allow, but she was also in the presence of their number one enemy, _Snivellus_. To get back to the castle, they had to go through where Hana and Severus were minding their own damn business, so of course, they had to move if they wanted to remain in each other's company.

"I'm leaving. They have to come past here to get back to the castle".  
"Then I'm leaving too," Hana announced, also stuffing her books back into her bag.  
"What are you on about? They're _your_ friends, aren't they?" Severus snapped.  
"Yes, but I did make a point to avoid them today, so I'll be following you to wherever it is you're going."  
"They'd never step foot into a library, would they?"   
"Remus would, actually," Hana admitted.

Severus rolled his eyes, annoyed.

"I mean, Rem isn't ba--"  
"He just sits there and ignores everything like it's not happening!" Severus shouted. "He's even looked up once and done nothing anyway. Nothing!"  
"Fine. But it's not easy to find a spot the biggest trouble makers in school don't go to," Hana sighed. They'd reached the castle now, and they paused in the Entrance Hall. "Including the library apparently, because Remus might be there."  
"What about your Common Room?"

Hana looked at Severus straight in the eyes.

"Are you being serious right now? What about _your_ Common Room?"  
"No outsider has been in the Slytherin Common Room for centuries, I'm not about to break that record," Severus said quite calmly. "People from all houses go into your Common Room though."

Hana pulled a face at him.

"I, once again, thank no one in particular that we aren't keeping score."  
"Oh, I am. I'm up by two."  
"Bastard."

The two students walked through the school together. Others, seeing Severus walking with someone, assumed it was Lily Evans, but when they saw a second head of black hair instead of the bright red, they made a double-take. It was odd seeing Severus with anyone else than her, and it was strange seeing Hana with anyone other than the four other boys she spent most of her days with. But no one really paid it much more thought, and they swiftly made their way up to Ravenclaw tower without any problems.

With the riddle answered, Hana and Severus entered the Common Room. Severus' eyes darted everywhere, in particular to the enchanted statue of a goblin that played an odd muggle tune that someone had asked it to play. No one in the room bothered to look up when a Slytherin entered and began wandering, and one of them even greeted Severus on their way out. 

"This is bizarre," the boy whispered, staring at a girl practising Ovomancy.  
"It's just a form of Divination, Severus," Hana laughed. "Come on. I'll show you my dorm room."  
"Hilarious. I can't go in there."

Hana paused on the first step to the rooms.

"Why not?"  
"Have you forgotten that you're a girl and that I'm not?" Severus said, annoyed.  
"Well, no. What seems to be the problem?"  
"Isn't the staircase going to turn into a slide because that's the girl's dorm?"  
"Slide? Ravenclaws broke that Charm centuries ago, Severus. Whoever does the room plan knows this, because I share my room with two girls, Noah and another boy."  
"Fascinating."

Hana laughed and headed upstairs. Severus tentatively put his foot on the first step, and when nothing happened, he went all the way up. Contrary to the Slytherin dorms, the Ravenclaw rooms were airy and bright. On the twins' side of the room, there were numerous piles of books that reached the top of the beds and clothes hanging off the four-posters either to dry or because it was one of the outfits they were contemplating wearing this morning. Nathan's side of the room was surprisingly tidy, just like Noah's was, and around Hana's bed were over a dozen plants. The small shrine for her mother was still upon her window sill, her embroidery equipment was on her nightstand, and over twenty-something pictures of herself, Lily, Severus and Noah were proudly pinned to the posts of her bed. 

"If you want to wander, you can, but I don't recommend touching anything over there," Hana said, pointing to the twins' beds. "If something is out of place, they'll flip, and I'm really in no mood to deal with another quarrel. Oh, hello, Haru."

A cat had made its way between Hana's legs, purring, and after inspecting Severus' ankles, he went up onto Hana's bed and curled up on the pillows. The girl tossed her bag onto the bed and tapped it twice with her wand. Instantly, it grew nearly twice as big, and Severus also had room to drop all of his things. Hana splayed out all of her books on the bed and settled down on her stomach to begin her work, while Severus sat on the floor at the end of the bed, his things all over the ground and blocking the way to the bathroom should anyone walk in for that purpose. 

Both of them worked in silence, for the most part, asking each other for tips once in a while, and they stayed this way until the sun began to set. They forgot all about why they were hiding in Hana's dorm, that Lily was most likely looking for them, and that they had to eat supper. However, Noah had walked in and nearly tripped on all of Severus' things just before supper was served, so in the end, they didn't forget to eat. All was well.

At least... for the time being.


	17. Lycanthropy

"Where _have_ you been!?"

Lily's complaint was loudly heard throughout the Great Hall as Noah, Hana and Severus walked in. It seemed she had been waiting for them, unable to find her friends in the place that she'd left them. It was supper time now, and the Great Hall was alive with laughter and the scent of various foods. The teachers were all seated at the head table, chatting quietly, and the ghosts were floating about, jealous about the food they'd never get to eat again. 

"Lily!" Hana gasped, putting her hands up to her mouth. "We completely forgot! There was James and Sirius, and well Severus needed to avoid them, so we left and--"  
"Don't panic, Hana!" Lily reassured. "You weren't by the rocks when I got back, so I got worried. I ended up going back to spend time with Mary. Where were you anyway?"  
"We were in Hana's Common Room," Severus said plainly. He glanced at Hana's hands. One of them was shaking. "It was my idea. We were doing homework. You didn't miss much."  
"Well, I missed the Ravenclaw Common Room!" Lily whined. "I can't imagine how cool it must be!"

Hana's hand continued to shake until she was seated at the Ravenclaw table beside Noah, and across from Lily and Severus. It was as she was pouring herself a cup of tea that the nerves eased and her tremor disappeared. The scent of jasmine filled her nostrils as she took a sip, and her whole body relaxed as the warm liquid travelled down her throat. She then enjoyed some karaage and a bowl of miso soup, while everyone else ate something that suited their taste. 

After the feast, Hana and Noah parted ways with Severus and Lily and headed up to their Common Room. Hana's things were still all splayed out on her bed, so she spent the next few minutes putting everything away while everyone else got ready for bed. Nathan was the first to go, and he slid the curtains to his bed shut, followed by Tulip and Violet who didn't even bicker for once in their lives.

"Hey, those things are soundproof, right?" Hana asked Noah as he exited the bathroom.  
"What, the curtains? Yeah, why?"  
"I need to tell you something, or I'm going to go crazy. But you have to promise not to tell anyone, not even James or Sirius, all right?"  
"Um, sure?" Noah said, his confusion growing. He sat on Hana's bed alongside her. "What is it?"  
"Well... You know, I don't even know if I should be telling you this..."  
"You brought it up. Spill."

Hana sighed.

"Remember the other night? I came back with this gash on my arm?" she said, pulling up her sleeve to reveal a mostly healed injury. "Well, I lied. I've never sleep-walked a day in my life."

Noah's eyebrows furrowed.

"I went out because I was... curious. Remus had been acting weird for too long, and well, I figured out why."  
"Why?"  
"I followed him and Madam Pomfrey all the way out to the Whomping Willow. He disappeared into the roots, so I followed. There's a tunnel. I don't know how long it is, but it leads to a shack. And well, Remus was there... but not for long."  
"What do you mean? Hana, what's wrong with-- oh. It was a full moon, wasn't it."  
"Yes. Yes, it was, Noah."

* * *

It was a mid-May morning. The sky was one of those baby-blue ones, not the psychedelic candy-blue nor the washed-out grey of London. The clouds were puffs of radiant joy, ready to disperse into the wind. After waking up and saying a short prayer to the shrine dedicated to her mother, Hana opened the window. She stretched out her arms into the early morning. It was going to be a beautiful day, she thought. Hana could always tell when she couldn't feel the temperature of the air. Outside had the sweet fragrance of freshly cut grass and the birds chattered in the nearby trees. The sun was already a friendly ball of yellow above, promising for more heat as the day progressed. All in all, she couldn't have asked for better weather, nor a better mood. 

Strangely enough, Hana had woken up without issue. She hummed her way into the shower, hummed her way through it, and hummed as she lazily draped her tie around her neck. Noah would have thought her insane if he didn't know what was up. It was a Friday, which meant - Flying class. Not only did Hana enjoy the feeling on being on a broom, she'd come to enjoy doing dives and rolls and loops during her classes. She'd become quite adept at it, as had James, and both of them were always competing with each other, which was quite the annoyance for Madam Hooch, as she had to threaten them with detention to keep them in line and with the program. Although Hana and James were quite ahead of the rest of the class. However, she didn't dare bring that up with Madam Hooch. That'd surely earn her detention.

"I can't wait for Quidditch tryouts next year," James sighed, as he and Hana returned to their spots between Noah and Sirius. "This is boring as hell."  
"I don't know if I'd try out for Quidditch," Hana admitted. "Seems fun, but do I really want a bludger wailing after me game after game? Not so sure..."  
"Come on, Snowflake," Sirius piped up. "You'd do great! Maybe you'd even pick up after you house's team."  
"Oh shush, at least we aren't Hufflepuff," Hana chuckled. "They haven't managed to win a match in ages!"  
"All right! That's enough floating around!" Madam Hooch called. "Laps! Everyone, I want laps!"  
"Race you!" James shouted, then sped off.  
" _Kono yarō_!"

The wind would greet concrete and skin just the same, yet Hana was blessed to feel it. She grew strong against it, muscles working all the more to stay upon her broom, to make it go faster. Hana watched the trees goo by at rapids speeds. When she passed James, she let out a cheer. Then Hana tossed her head back and raised her eyes to the sky, a smile spreading from cheek to cheek. The wind tousled her hair, and in its chaotic dance, it was beautiful to see pure joy on the girl's face for once. It wasn't an opportunity Lily missed, and a moving snapshot was taken. Hana's mind was relaxed, happiness bubbling from within, and everyone could see it. Were it not for James passing her again, Hana would have cheered, but instead, she tensed her muscles and leaned forward, trying desperately to increase her speed even more.

"Enough! Enough! Potter! Yukimura! Do I have to give you detention!?"

James and Hana, now side by side, laughed together and slowed down, eventually landing near Madam Hooch who smacked them upside the head for going faster than allowed. But the two friends just laughed even more, and joining in that laughter was Sirius, Remus and Noah, as Sirius fell off his broom trying to show off again.

"Come on! You can't tell me you're not going to try out for the Ravenclaw team next year," Noah said, hopeful. "You'd wipe the floor with the Slytherin _and_ the Gryffindor!"  
"Well, I don't know about the Gryffindor," Sirius barked. "If James joins next year, you're going to have a run for your money, I bet!"  
"Fat chance of that," Hana said with confidence. "James and I have completely different kinds of flying talents. I'm way more precise and agile than he is, so that'd make me a fair Seeker. James just likes to go fast and throw things - that's Chaser material. There's no way we could compete. Furthermore--"  
"Okay, all right. No rabbit holes, remember?" James laughed. "Just try out next year."  
"Yes, Mum."  
"Oi, who are you calling 'Mum'?"

The shrill sound of Madam Hooch's whistle rang through the air, signalling the end of the lesson and the start of the lunch period. The five friends headed into the castle, through the courtyard and down the hallways, all the way into the Great Hall. They sat at the Gryffindor table and stuffed their faces. Everyone except for Remus, who didn't seem to have the appetite. If Hana was being honest, ever since Remus had gotten out of the hospital wing the day prior, he'd seemed off. It was quite reasonable, considering what he'd gone through, but it seemed he'd made it a particular task to avoid eye contact with Hana.

He knew that she was aware of his condition. There was no other reason he would act this way.

After lunch, as James and Sirius dragged Noah ahead towards their beech tree, Hana tugged at Remus' sleeve to slow him down. He looked at her uncertain, and seeing the concern in his eyes, he came to a full stop, ignoring the shouts of their friends a ways away.

"Are you okay, Rem?"  
"Yeah," he replied quickly.  
"Rem, come on."  
"It's nothing. Just forget it. Forget everything."  
"Well, I can't just forget _that_ ," Hana said with a sigh. "I saw it with my own damn eyes."  
"You didn't see anything, Hana," Remus insisted.  
"Remus, I don't care!" She announced this quite loudly, and numerous people turned their heads. Hana waited a bit before continuing. "I don't care that you are what you are! You're my _tomodachi_ , and I'll be damned if a stupid curse that you never wanted is gonna stop me. You could be a pygmy puff for all I care!"

A few tears were welling in the boys' eyes, and it took him everything not to spill them in the middle of the hallway.

"Really?"  
"Of course, Rem. And I'm going back to that shack every month to keep you from hurting yourself, too."  
"What? No!" Remus shouted. Hana had already begun walking away at this point, so he caught up to her at a jog. "You'll get hurt! I can't control myself, you know! I'm not me!"  
"I know, but I managed pretty well last time," Hana said proudly. "And maybe once I get better at magic, maybe I can... I don't know, find a way for you to keep your head while you transform. Clearly it's impossible to cure lycanthropy, which is quite unfortunate, but I suppose at least keeping your right mind would prevent you from hurting yourself, others and the like. Then maybe I could sell it. You know, for other werewolves and--"

Hana cut herself off.

"Tell me if I'm rambling."  
"No, no, keep going," Remus said with a smile.

Hana continued on her theories and came up with some more as she and Remus made their way towards the beech tree. They were deep in conversation when they arrived, and no one had the heart to stop them from talking. So they let them talk for what seemed like hours, about things only Noah secretly understood, until James got annoyed and threw grass at them so they'd shut up. Remus refused to tell Sirius, James and Noah about what they were actually talking about, and it was quite a laugh when Sirius made a scene. Something about mommy not telling daddy. Hana wasn't too sure; she was too focused on the water and its gentle ripples, with the sounds of her friends' laughter in the background.


	18. Proud

It was way too late to be awake. The curtains were closed on the four-poster bed, the wand-light making the tinsel sewn inside shine like thousands of stars. Books and various bits of parchment were strewn around the bed, and Hana was hunched over all of them, intently reading page two hundred and twenty-five of _The Essential Defence Against the Dark Arts._ It was a third-year textbook, and Hana wasn't sure how she could understand this, but she did - and she needed to. 

Tomorrow was the full moon.

As promised, Hana was going to accompany Remus during his transformation, and she'd spent the last few weeks, day-in and day-out, trying to learn new spells to keep herself alive _and_ to keep Remus safe. She had to sneak out again, though. Madam Pomfrey and Dumbledore might have been aware that she had stumbled upon Remus's transformation two months, but they surely weren't going to condone her going back. It was already suspicious that she'd gotten a few mysterious gashes overnight last month, and even Lily had begun asking questions.

This time, Hana went ahead of Remus. Just as the sun was starting to set, she left her Common Room and raced across the grounds. This time, she knew about the knot that would still the tree and pressed it before going in any further. When the swinging branches of the Whomping Willow stilled, Hana dove underneath it and slid down the tunnel to the shack. She cleared the main room and put all the furniture against the walls, leaving one small space for herself to hide in case of an emergency. The stairs to the second floor were cleared and repaired to prevent further injury, and just as the last step fixed itself, Remus walked into the shack.

He looked terrified, and he was. He couldn't believe his eyes. Hana was standing right there, looking determined, and yet she knew that she was going to be attacked in mere minutes. He'd never seen something like that—a friend, willing to risk her life for him. And now, as the pale moon rose into the sky, Hana was seeing something her eyes wouldn't ever be able to erase. The adrenaline flowed through her veins like a barracuda through the ocean, but she couldn't move a single muscle, not even to point her wand at Remus. The horror that was a werewolf transformation paralysed her, the sounds of cracking bones and stretching flesh dominated her mind. The more she thought about it, the more she regretted her decision, but she had to do this. It was for Remus.

For Remus.

If you'd asked her after the whole thing what exactly had happened, she would never be able to tell you. She didn't remember who moved first or who attacked first. She just knew that something had happened. In reality, it was the werewolf that moved first, and right off the bat, Hana overcame her fear and shot him with the Knockback Jinx. The beast flew back several feet, her spell stronger than the last time she'd cast it. The creature landed in a large wardrobe, and it shattered upon impact. Snarling, the beast got back up and lashed at Hana again, this time managing to slice his claws through the girl's shirt. Blood bloomed on her shoulder, and the girl hissed in pain. Tears welled in her eyes, but she blinked them back, moving just in time to avoid another attack. 

When the werewolf reared back, Hana tried a new spell on it. With a tremendous shout, Hana shot the creature with the Full-Bind Bind Curse. A white light shot itself from the tip of Hana's wand and hit the werewolf straight in the chest. As if a wave of water passed over it, the werewolf's limbs went stiff, and it fell to the floor, immobile. 

Hana stared at it for what seemed like a while. It had worked, but this spell was typically meant to be used on other witches and wizards, so she couldn't tell how long it would last. However, it lasted long enough for Hana to tend to her shoulder wound, and it was then that the werewolf began to stir again. It started with a growl and a full howl, and then teeth snapped just as the creature rose to bite Hana. The girl moved just in time and hit the beast with the Knockback Jinx again, pushing it out of her way. 

Finally, it was starting to take a toll on Hana. It was barely halfway through the night, but she was exhausted. 

"I'll get used to this as I go, I suppose," she muttered to herself as encouragement.

The werewolf growled at her again, and its yellow eyes bore into the dark brown of her own.

"Come on, Rem, work with me here."

However, the beast just launched himself at Hana again. Instead of moving out of the way, the girl concentrated. She pointed her wand at the werewolf and muttered another spell - the most complicated one she knew. An orange spark shot out of Hana's wand, and it hit the creature straight in the face. It paused for a split second, and then bones began to crack. Slowly, the werewolf's features melted into the face of the young boy Hana knew. His eyes were wide and terrified, and confusion filled his mind when he laid his eyes on Hana.

"H-How?"  
"Homorphus Charm. Temporarily reverts a werewolf to its original form," Hana said, out of breath. "Took me a while to get it right. Had to practice on some weird mod--"  
"Hana, I hurt you!" Remus exclaimed, eyes falling on her blood-stained shirt.  
"Hey, hey, hey! Don't worry about it, just calm down. Take a deep breath, for me, okay?"

Remus nodded nervously but took a deep breath anyway. However, once his eyes fell upon the light of the moon again, the transformation recommenced.

"Hana!"  
"It's okay, Rem! I'm right here!"

The pained sounds of a young boy and the cracking of bones filled the shack once again. The full moon was beginning to descend, but the werewolf was still very much active. And the battle went on and on. The werewolf lashed out at Hana time and time again. She tried to push it away, bind it for short amounts of time, but after every spell, the creature seemed to be recovering faster and faster, as if the spells had less and less effect. All she could do was push the werewolf away a little, wait for it to snap at her again, and then push it back again. At least, Hana thought, it was occupying him, and the werewolf didn't have to resort to hurting itself.

Only an hour ago, the blackness was absolute, but now the mist was visible, silvery. Against this backdrop, the trees were silhouettes, still as an oil painting and darker than the ravens. Slowly, the moon's rays were replaced with the smallest amount of sunshine, and it was just enough to calm the rampaging werewolf. It took a few steps back from Hana, leaving her partially wounded on the first few steps to the upper-levels, and then sat, like a puppy, waiting. As Hana rose to her feet, she held her right shoulder in pain: something was clearly broken. She took a few steps towards her left and fetched a large blanket she'd found in the house before the night had started. As the werewolf slowly changed back into Remus, Hana covered him with the blanket. Once again, the trauma of transformation had knocked him out cold, so Hana swing the boy over her shoulder. She winced, her arm searing in pain, but she carried Remus to the castle as quickly as she could without dropping him and wandered once again into Madam Pomfrey's ward. Last time, she'd been able to tend to her own wounds with a bit of dittany, but this time she couldn't avoid the matron. 

" _You_ again!?" she shouted upon seeing Hana. "You are aware that I must report this to the Headmaster? You could've gotten yourself killed! What were you thinking? Taking up a werewolf like that... Again!"  
"I couldn't just do nothing," Hana mumbled, sitting at the edge of Remus' bed.  
"This isn't some pixie you're dealing with, girl! That boy is a creature most foul and--"  
"It's not his fault. He didn't ask for this. So I'll be damned if I let him hurt himself." Hana was fuming, but her voice remained calm. "Remus isn't a creature. He's a boy. He's my friend. _Watashi wa tasukenakereba narimasen._ I _have_ to help."

Hana stared down the matron. While her eyes were fixed and unwavering, her disquiet could be seen on her left hand. It shook gently, though Hana was not paying it any mind. 

"A noble gesture, I would think."

The soft voice came from the entrance to the ward. Hana looked over in surprise and saw that the Headmaster was standing there. By reflex, Hana stood and gave Dumbledore a quick bow. He chuckled lightly and smiled.

"It is good, Poppy, that you hold such concern for Miss Yukimura, but it is as she said: Mister Lupin did not ask for this illness. He should be treated with as much care as any other student, if not more," Dumbledore said. He turned to Hana, and she felt guilty all of a sudden. "It is my understanding that you have been aiding your friend through his monthly transformations?"  
"Uh, well... Yes?"  
"Very good, very good." The Headmaster glanced at Remus for a moment. "I hope, for his sake, that you will continue?"  
"Albus!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed. "As matron of Hogwarts, I cannot condone this type of reckless behaviour."  
"Neither do I, Poppy, but-" Dumbledore turned to leave -"help will always be given to those who deserve it, and do you not think, Poppy, that our young mister Lupin deserves it?"

The matron stuttered a bit but ended up resuming her duties with an exasperated sigh. She'd begun working on Hana's arm when Dumbledore walked out, leaving Hana feeling rather proud of herself.


	19. Dandelion Seeds

Summer came quicker than Hana had anticipated. It didn't come gradually this year. Instead, one day it was perfect spring weather; the next, students could barely move the heat was so oppressive. Today, as Noah, Lily, Severus and Hana all sat together in the courtyard, the sunshine was in their bones, its heat radiating outwards in the bright day. They would have stayed indoors, but there was a breeze outside, and that was enough to keep them from peeling their skin off. It was on days like this that Hana was reminded of her home town in Japan.

June and July in Kunigami were the months of subtropical heat waves, shockingly humid afternoons and songs of cicadas. The heat would bounce off the streets and cause an illusion of wavering images. There were some days where a handkerchief around your neck wasn't such a bad idea - days when the sweat would surface on your forehead, your cheeks, the bridge of your nose, and run in rivulets down your face until you became sodden. There were some days that even the well habituated farmers couldn't adapt to such temperatures.

"Ugh, I'm dying," Lily exclaimed, flopping onto her back. She might have been wearing shorts and a t-shirt, but she was still overheating. "How're you guys not dying?"

While Hana and Noah were reasonably comfortable in this weather, Severus wasn't. But despite the high temperatures, the boy refused to wear shorts or a t-shirt and stuck to his trousers and a jumper that was two sizes too big for him. Hana could see the beads of sweat running down his temple; however, he didn't complain or even look like he was in any sort of discomfort.

"Summer weather in Japan is suffocating, this is nothing," Hana said, eyes fixed on the homework she was completing.  
"Okay, but Sev - you're wearing a jumper!"  
"It's comfortable."  
"It's thirty degrees," Noah noted, perplexed.  
"Just finish your homework, Lily," Severus grumbled. "It's due tomorrow before our exam."  
"How can I concentrate in this heat?" Lily complained.  
"She has a point. Increased temperatures aren't conducive to learning or productivity," Hana said, quill gliding across her parchment. "In fact, increased body temperature can lead to a lethargic state and can even cause irritability depending on the person." Hana glanced at Lily for a split second and smirked.  
"But you don't seem bothered!"  
"Again. I'm Japanese."

Lily groaned

"Hey, Noah. Try poking her to see if she'd crash or smack you."  
"Hey! Don't test me!" Lily exclaimed as the boy prodded her with the end of his wand. "Why'd there have to be a damn heatwave when final exams are coming!? Merlin's beard..."  
"Case and point - irritable."

Hana and Noah laughed as Lily huffed at them, and they continued their homework until the day was done, and it was time to sleep. Thankfully, the heat had let up by the time that Hana and Noah had returned to their Common Room, so Hana kept the window open to let in a gentle breeze to cool everyone down. She stared at the sunset for a little while, mind wandering, until she too finally went to bed, her head swimming with information waiting to be processed and the stress of exams coming up tomorrow. However, she fell asleep quite quickly despite all this and woke up refreshed the next morning. 

In the Great Hall, the usual smells and chatter came to greet Hana and Noah as they walked in. With the frenzy of the End-of-Term exams, many students in the Hall were cramming in some last-minute studying, but Hana didn't bother, and neither did Noah. Both found it much more important to go into their exams with full stomachs and light hearts, to alleviate some of the stress associated with exams. Both Ravenclaw had decided to sit with their Gryffindor boys this morning, as a good laugh with them would most likely do them some good. Noah was especially nervous, desperate to prove to his parents that he himself and Hogwarts were worthy of their time.

"Oi, Snowflake! Think you're gonna ace all the exams?" Sirius called from beside James.  
"Of course, who do you think I am?" Hana scoffed, mouth full of waffles. "And stop calling me that."  
"Who do _you_ think I am?"

Hana rolled her eyes.

"If I'm being honest, I expect to excel in all classes except maybe for History of Magic. But as long as I get an Acceptable, I'll be happy. Do you think you've studied enough even to pass, Black?"  
"I'm a natural-born genius, dear. Of course, I'm going to ace the tests."  
" _Baka_..."  
"I think I'll do all right," James said.  
"How modest," Noah noted.  
"After all, I'm also a natural-born genius."  
"I said nothing."

Unlike the usual, once you were done eating you had to exit the Great Hall, and those who weren't done by nine o'clock, were kicked out so that the tables could be removed and replaced by hundreds of little individual desks. The Great Hall was turning into the exam room for those taking their O.W.Ls or their N.E.W.Ts, and Hana couldn't be more thrilled she wasn't there yet. Hana, Noah, Remus, James and Sirius all exited at the same time and split up to make their way to their respective classrooms: the Ravenclaws would be taking their exam with the Slytherins.

Hana and Noah weaved their way through the crowd to find Severus. They wished good luck to Lily, who was leaving to go to her respective class, then made their way to their own classroom, ready to kick some exam butt. Their examiner was Professor Flitwick, and he handed out the examination papers first. He then gave a few quick explanations and cited all the banned items for exam taking before giving the all clear to begin. Hana read the questions through first, and then returned to the first page to start writing. 

Two hours went by fast, but Hana didn't see them go at all. It was when Flitwick called the last half hour that Hana realised how much time had actually passed. At this point, she was merely reviewing her answers, so there wasn't any worry, but looking around, she found that a lot of people were still writing. Noah was also considering his exam answers, twirling his wand in one hand, looking quite bored; Severus seemed to be writing more than was required, his quill filling the parchment as much as it could; one of the Slytherin had steadily fallen asleep on his desk, and one of Hana's fellow Ravenclaw had given up and resorted to making paper aeroplanes that zoomed around when Flitwick's back was turned. 

"All right, time is up!"

All of a sudden, everybody's parchments went flying off their desks and into Flitwick's hands. He wished everyone a good day and dismissed them. Hana, Noah and Severus regrouped outside the classroom as the students were filing out. They headed outside and towards the courtyard.

"You looked like you were writing an essay, mate," Noah said to Severus.  
"Who knows how the teachers are going to grade," Severus replied. "I'd rather put in all the information and be sure."  
"Does that mean I had to write full sentences?" Hana asked, scratching her temple. "I had more of a bullet-point approach. Think that'll do?"  
"Think what'll do?" Lily said. She'd suddenly appeared out of nowhere, and followed the other three to their final destination.   
"Yukimura's going to fail her exam," Severus stated.  
"Oi! Am not!"

* * *

The countryside bathed in brilliant summer sunlight was much more interesting than the exam Hana was supposed to be completing. She'd managed to grab a window seat in the minuscule History of Magic class, but it was probably not the greatest of ideas. Hana couldn't concentrate for the life of her. Instead, she kept turning her head towards the window, watching the students run across the grounds and happily eat lunch together by the lake. Merlin's beard she wanted lunch... Thank god for Noah though, as he'd occasionally kick one of the legs on her chair to bring her back to reality. And even though a few of her answers might have been botched, Hana completed the exam with him and Severus almost an hour later.

"Finally, it's done!" she exclaimed happily, throwing herself into the grass. Hundreds of white dandelion seeds flew into the air. "No more exams!"  
"Stop rolling in that, would you?" Severus complained after sputtering out a seed.

Noah, Severus, Lily and herself had gathered in the formation of rocks above the Gamekeeper's hut after their last exam of the term. Noah and Lily were playing with the girl's camera, and Severus was following behind them as not to be captured in any sort of photos. 

"And just think," Lily added. She snapped a picture of Hana rolling around in the grass and Severus waving the dandelion seeds away from his face. "We'll be done our first year at Hogwarts at the end of the week."  
"We'll be receiving our grades by then, right?" Noah asked, picking some seeds from his hair. "They won't be sent to my house directly?"  
"For the hundredth time, Noah. Yes, we receive our grades on the last day."  
"Good, good. Can't have my mother seeing that I'm useless at flying a broom."  
"It's just flying," Severus said with a shrug. "It's dumb anyway."  
"Dumb, but fun," Hana corrected.  
"Just dumb."  
"Boy, I'll throw you a bouquet of these bloody weeds."

The banter went on for a while until Lily got seriously concerned and intervened. Hana merely burst into laughter, and Severus rolled his eyes, the beginning of a smirk on his face. Noah jumped in and reignited it by throwing the aforementioned bouquet of dandelion seeds up into the air, and then Lily gave up. She sat back and watched the sort of chaotic verbal dance that was their banter. White seeds fluttered down and landed into everyone's hair and some, caught in the wind, flew off to god knows where on Hogwarts' grounds. 

Sooner or later though, the banter slowed, and the laughter came to an end. It had become all too real that their first year of school was over and that they'd have to spend an entire summer apart. Hana couldn't speak for anyone else, but she wasn't looking forward to it. Hogwarts had been more of a home than her own this past year, and she was not eager to return to it. If her father was home - which Hana didn't expect it would be much - the time spent in his presence wouldn't be all that pleasant, and while she would have Haru to keep her company, it wouldn't be near as satisfying as spending time with her friends. 

"Summer's going to be lonely."  
"I'll write to you every day," Lily said, bringing the girl out of her thoughts. "I'll even write to you twice a day! I'll write to you when I eat when I brush my teeth--"  
"When you go to the loo..."  
"Exactly! That way you-- wait. Hana!"


	20. A Long Summer

The mountains were silhouetted against a crimson sky and the air smelled of the lake. There was no arguing or the loud chattering of students; there was only the birdsong carried through the air. It was because of this that Hana knew she was up early. Haru was sleeping peacefully at the foot of her bed, and he stirred when the girl got up. She scratched his head on her way to the bathroom for a shower and exited just as the sun rose halfway in the sky. Her head turned up to the ceiling, and the painted stars told her that it was an hour before her final breakfast at Hogwarts this year.

Heaving a sigh, Hana dragged out her trunk from under the bed and dropped it onto her bed. She quietly apologised to Haru for waking him, and then began packing. Her clothes went in first, folded neatly and organised by type. Hana blew out the candles to her mother's shrine and packed them beside her clothes after dumping the hot wax in the sink, and her mother's picture went on top. The polaroids that Lily had given her went in as well, as did a few souvenirs Hana had collected along the way at Quidditch games or from older students returning from Hogsmeade. She had to sit on her trunk for it to close and Haru watched Hana struggle, seemingly amused until she succeeded. Hana put all of her school things in her backpack, and listened to it all crash and tumble inside - the undetectable extension charm the bag came with was useful but did nothing for the organisation. 

"You're up early," Noah mumbled upon waking, face still pressed against his pillow. "Did you sleep?"  
"Yes, I did. Would've liked to sleep in at least past sunrise though," Hana replied. "Had time to pack though."  
"What time is it?"

Hana looked to the ceiling.

"Breakfast is in twenty minutes."  
"All right."

Noah rolled out of bed and fluffed his already messed up hair. He groaned as he saw it in the mirror, then disappeared into the bathroom. Hana chuckled and scratched the top of Haru's head. When he'd decided he'd had enough, he hopped off the bed and disappeared out of the dorm room. Hopefully, he'd meet her at the carriages later.

When Noah came out of the bathroom, he packed whatever he had left to pack, and headed for the door. Both of them took a moment to look around at their dorm and smiled at each other.

"We'll be back soon enough," Hana said.

Going down to breakfast was a chore. Getting through the Common Room was a sport, as Hana and Noah had to avoid all the seventh years saying goodbye to each other and the over-attached girls who were parting for a single summer. Then getting through the hallways filled with students running around trying to collect the last of their items that people had hidden as a bad joke was another chore that Hana could have gone without. But soon enough, the two Ravenclaw made it to the Great Hall just in time for Dumbledore's End-of-Term speech.

"Another year has gone," he chirped. "And I must trouble you with an old man's wheezing waffle before we sink our teeth into our delicious feast. What a year it has been! Hopefully, your heads are a little fuller than they were, but now is the time to get them nice and empty again before the next year starts... I wish you all a particularly pleasant summer, and to those that are graduating, a particularly pleasant and bright future."

Dumbledore began to clap slowly, and then the entire hall erupted into cheers. The House Cup had been awarded to Hufflepuff this year, so the banners above swiftly changed from grey to black and yellow. The feast appeared moments later onto the table, and every single student dug in for their last feast of the year or their last Hogwarts feast ever. Noah and Hana had some of the English specialities instead of their usual meals, and they chatted with everyone about their plans for the summer. 

Hundreds of rolled up parchments went out to the students below, except for the fifth and seventh years, who would have to wait until the first or second week of July to receive their O.W.L and N.E.W.T results. However, for everyone else, they could be relieved or disappointed immediately. Hana and Noah received 'Outstanding' marks in all but History of Magic and Flying class respectively, where they both received an 'Exceeds Expectations' instead. 

When the feast had ended, everyone begrudgingly made their way towards the carriages. It wasn't the first time that the First-Years took the carriages down to Hogsmeade station, but the creatures that pulled the carriages never ceased to amaze Hana. Noah said she was crazy, that the carts pulled themselves, but the girl knew otherwise. She could never draw these creatures from her imagination. She supposed they were horses, by the general shape of them, but there was something reptilian about them too. They were completely fleshless, and their black coats clung to their skeleton, of which every bone was visible. Their heads were almost like those of dragons, or at least the dragons Hana had seen in books, and their pupil-less eyes were completely white and staring. Wings sprouted from each side of their body, and they were huge, black leathery things that looked as though they ought to be on giant bats. Standing like this, even in broad daylight, the creatures look eerie and sinister, but Hana found them intriguing and quite beautiful in their own way.

Hana was soon distracted by Haru who'd finally showed up since earlier, and he curled up onto Hana's lap when she and Noah sat down in the carriages. James, Sirius and Remus joined them moments after, and it became the noisiest cart going down to the station. They exchanged addresses, for owling purposes, and joked and sang like children all the way down. Sirius made horrible impressions of all the professors, James pulled out and played with a golden snitch he'd apparently nicked last quidditch match, and Remus, as usual, made sarcastic comments about both of them all the while reading his book. Noah joined in on the impressions, imitating professor Slughorn quite well, and Hana sat back and had a good laugh, all the while petting Haru. 

The idiocies continued all the way down and even as they attempted to find an empty compartment. They tossed the snitch between each other and made themselves trip in the hallway. They'd bumped into quite a few students, which Hana apologised to on everyone else's behalf, and nearly bought everything off the trolley before anyone else could get a chance to. Once their compartment found, the five friends found themselves in a sweet-induced hysteria, completed with songs and dances and odd jokes that involved James' mum and a hippogriff. 

About halfway through the journey, Haru had had enough and slipped away through the doors he'd managed to pry open somehow. A few minutes after, Hana had decided to do the same. She said goodbye to James, Sirius and Remus, giving them each a strong hug and a few back slaps that nearly knocked the air out of her, and gave a more gentle hug to Noah, which he gladly returned. 

Hana went on the hunt for Haru, and she suspected that she would find him at the same place her other friends were at. Looking for a particular compartment, she weaved through a few paper aeroplanes, a few four years giggling in the hall, and even avoided a particularly good attempt at a tickling hex. Hana dodged another few students and went passed a few doors before slamming one open.

"Hello, children!" she shouted happily.  
"Hana!" Lily shouted, just as happy.  
"Can you both be quiet?" Severus sighed.  
"Oh, shut up, grumpy," Hana chuckled, closing the door behind her.  
"We were wondering when you'd arrive," Lily said. "Haru's already made himself comfy."

Hana turned and spotted Haru curled up beside Severus.

"Haru, you traitor."

The cat offered up a simple meow as explanation and went back to his nap. Hana went to sit next to him and coax Haru to her lap, but he wasn't having any of it and stuck to Severus like glue.

"Can you disinherit a cat, you think?" Hana asked.  
"Oh come on, just let him be," Lily laughed.  
"Yes, please, you're disturbing my reading," Severus said.

Hana stuck her tongue out at Severus, and he did the same, much to Lily's amusement.

"Oh, guys, stay like that, I want a picture of you two!"  
"No," Hana and Severus said simultaneously.  
"Where is Noah when you need him?" Lily sighed.

She tried to get a picture out of Hana and Severus for a while, but neither of them gave in. Instead, she moved on to asking for Hana's address for her to send mail, and she wrote one down for Severus too, sticking the small bit of parchment in the pages of his book. Hana and Lily went on to talk for hours, about normal girl things and their plans for the summer. Both of them suddenly got interested in the landscape going by, and they stood from their seats to look out the window. Hana had the brilliant idea of bringing down the top half, letting the wind inside their compartment. Severus complained about his pages turning, but looking up to his two friends giggling with their hair in the wind, he quieted down. Hana and Lily only turned back around when they heard the sound of a camera shutter, and they found Severus with Lily's camera in hand.

"Oh, so _you_ can take pictures?" Lily teased, snatching back her camera.  
"My face wasn't in it, so I don't care," Hana said, closing the window.   
"I wouldn't want to take a picture of your face anyway," Severus said deadpan.

Hana eyed him for a second, before laughing. 

"I'm not even mad."  
"You two are impossible," Lily sighed. She looked at the picture. "You know, it's actually good."  
"Is it?" Hana asked. "Is Severus actually competent?"  
"Hilarious," Severus said, rolling his eyes. 

It turned out that Severus was actually competent, and that the picture was genuinely lovely. Lily and Hana had a short debate of who would keep the picture until Hana just snatched it and gave it to Severus. He looked at her funny, but took the picture anyway, and put it with the piece of parchment with Hana's address on it. The rest of the trip went smoothly. Haru kept sleeping, pressed against Severus' leg, the boy kept reading, not paying much attention to the cat hair that was accumulating on his clothes, and Lily and Hana went through nearly hundreds of pictures that she'd taken throughout the year. They sorted them to figure out who was keeping which. 

The view of London came too soon. Neither of the three friends wanted to return home. Of course, Lily and Severus lived nearby each other and could spend time together whenever they wanted, but Hana was returning to Cambridge, far from any of her friends. Severus and Lily lived somewhere around Birmingham, Remus and James lived far off in Devon, Sirius' house was in the middle of London, and Noah lived in Bristol. The closest of her friends was Sirius, but even then, he was nearly two hours away by train.

Slowly, the students began pouring out of the train. The wind howled, and students climbed out and collected their baggage. Friends were saying their goodbyes with hugs or playful punches, and the graduates stood tall and proud, unlike everyone else, ready to tackle the world. Soon they all went through the magical barrier of 9 ¾, and the crowd began to thin. Hana, Lily and Severus went through the barrier together, and to where Lily's parents were waiting for her. Hana didn't spot her father, and Severus seemed to be searching for someone as well.

"It's fine, Lily," Hana said. "My dad will be here soon - he said so himself. If not I'll just take the last train home."  
"Are you sure? Because remember my mother said that you could stay whenever you wanted, right?" Lily said, concerned.

The offer tempted Hana, but she _had_ confirmed with her father that he'd be there to pick her up. If he showed up and she wasn't there, she'd be in for an earful.

"I'm fine Lily, don't worry."  
"All right..." she said quietly. "Sev? Your's coming right?"  
"Yes, she is."  
"Okay. Well, have a good summer you two," Lily said, hugging both of her friends. "Write, okay?"  
"Yes, mum," Hana joked.

Hana and Severus watched Lily run off towards her parents, and soon they disappeared into the late-night crowd of King's Cross station. Hana heaved a sigh and found a bench to sit down on. Haru, sensing something wasn't right, hopped up onto her lap and began to purr.

"Oh, now you want to love me, huh?" Hana chuckled, scratching her cat's head.

Severus sat down beside her and pulled out his book again.

"Expecting to wait a while?"  
"My mother said she was coming, but not at what time," Severus said quietly. "Your father?"  
"I told him what time I was arriving," Hana said with a sigh. "He never got back to me."

There was a moment in which neither of them spoke. Hana's mind was focused on the train sounds nearby and Haru's purring. Her head was hanging back, and she could see the stars through the glass ceiling of the train station. Hana turned her head towards Severus.

"What're you reading?"  
"Dune. It's science-fiction."  
"Can I read it with you?"

Severus sighed, seemingly annoyed, but he still turned the book just enough for them both to read. Hana had no idea what was happening or who these people were or where they were from, but it was better than listening to the dreadful silence of an empty train station. They'd managed to go through a few chapters before a popping sound disrupted their reading. A short blonde woman was walking their way, and she seemed to be in a hurry. She was thin and a little hunched, and she would have been rather pretty if she didn't look so tired.

"Severus, come. Your father is waiting."

There was a split second of panic on Severus' face before he stood up and collected his things. Just as he was about to leave, he turned to Hana.

"I'll write," he said simply.  
"Don't feel forced," Hana said with a small smile. "Have a good summer, Severus."

The boy hesitated.

"Go. I'll be fine."  
"Right."

Hana smiled gently at Severus and watched him jog over to his mother. He barely had grasped her hand when the woman Apparated, leaving Hana alone once again.

This was going to be a lonely summer.


	21. Letters

_Dear Hana,_

_Guess where I'm writing you from? Remember that cottage I talked about, well that's where I am. Next year I'll bring you here for sure! The views are spectacular, and there are so many things to do! Tuney and I went fishing, and my mum and dad brought us to town for some sweets earlier today. I'll make you try some of their sherberts when you come - best in the world!_

_I hope you're having a good summer so far. Hopefully, your father is there, and you can spend some time with him._

_Write back as soon as you get this!_

_Much love,_

_Lily_

* * *

_Hey Hana,_

_Remember when I asked you to sniff my hair when we got back from Christmas? Well, I think I'm going to have to ask you again. My aunt and whole bunch of other family members have come over for the week, and I swear the entire house smells like lǎo_ tàitài _. I don't think any amount of showering is going to get this out._

_On the bright side, my brother's finally moved out of the house, which means I got a bigger room! More space for me to do nothing in, much to my mother's discontent._

_Anyway, write back ASAP! I want to know if your dad is being a_ húndàn _as usual._

_PS: My mother is convinced my hair is the start of my teenage rebellion._

Yīqiè hǎo _,_

_Noah_

* * *

_Snowflake!_

_Save me from this hell._

_I swear, next summer I'm bumming one of your spare rooms because my house is a definite no-go. My mother is crazier than usual what with this Lord Voldy nonsense going on, and my dad is gone half the time for reasons I'd rather not know. Plus, they've both been raving about Regulus going to Hogwarts next year._

_I know you said your dad wasn't there often, but hopefully, you're still spending time well._

_Write back soon, and hopefully, you'll attach a portkey to get me outta here._

_PS: Regulus is my brother. Forgot to mention.  
PPS: Can you even read my handwriting?_

_Sirius_

* * *

_Yo Hana,_

_Has Sirius been sending you an obsessive amount of letters? I've been getting a few a week, at least. Think we should cooperate and babysit him in turn next summer?_

_My summer's going great, thanks for asking. My mum and dad are feeling a bit under the weather, but they've still taken me to a whole bunch of places in the countryside. Got in some broom practice, so you're going to have to step up your game if you're going to best me at Quidditch._

_Also, do you think you could tell me how Lily's doing? I know you're writing to her, don't try to hide it._

_Hope your dad isn't being a complete wanker,_

_James Potter_

* * *

_Dear Hana,_

_Before I get into the letter, I want to reassure you that my transformations have been going on without a hitch. Well, with the least hitches possible. I also want to thank you for not telling anyone about it. And yes, I know you're right - James and Sirius will find out eventually._

_Anyway, other than that small inconvenience, my summer is nice. Been doing a lot of reading and helping out my mum with her garden. I think I come back dirtier from that than my monthly problem if I'm honest. She's invested._

_I hope your summer is fairing well, and that your father has deemed you worthy of some quality time, as you'd put it. If not, then tell me, and I'll send you some of my favourite books to read to kill time._

_Hope you'll write soon,_

_Remus_

* * *

_Yukimura,_

_I've been plagued by boredom which is why I've stooped so low as to write to you._

_I haven't the faintest idea what to tell you other than the fact I've completed my reading of Dune. I suppose I can give you a summary of the ending if you insist, even though I doubt you'll comprehend any of it. If I may ask something of you, could you send me that book you were reading on the train back? It seemed rather interesting._

_I also, for some reason, feel the need to address my abrupt departure from you at the train station. As you might have figured, my father isn't a very patient man. Any sort of delay would have been an issue blown out of proportion. I do hope for your sake that your father came to retrieve you as planned and that you did not have to resort to taking the midnight train. I'm well aware of the oddities that lurk there._

_If you have any inclination to write back, then I suppose you're at liberty to do so, but don't feel forced. I'll be quite all right._

_Regards,_

_S. S._


	22. Boredom

Her friends' letters were but a temporary distraction to the dreadful summer Hana was having. Once every few days she'd get a letter from Sirius, begging him to free him from his home, and a few times a month she was graced with a letter from someone else. Honestly, Hana would have loved to get Sirius out of his house and bring him over. If they were going to be bored out of their minds, Hana thought it'd at least be a little bit better if they were together. 

It was now mid-August, and since Hana had gotten home, she'd calculated that her father had been home for a total of 53 hours. Most of those hours spent at home were for sleep, and Hana would often wake up to the loud popping noise of Apparition at one, two, three o'clock in the morning. Sometimes there wouldn't be another pop until the crack of dawn the next morning. Still, oftentimes another pop was heard in less than thirty minutes after arrival, and Akira Yukimura was gone again.

Once a week, Hana would take the bus or train to London and head to Gringotts to get some galleons exchanged for Muggle currency, and went all the way back to Cambridge to grocery shop. Sometimes she'd stop by Flourish and Blotts to get herself a new book to read, or to Florean Fortescue's for a well-deserved bowl of earl grey and lavender ice cream. At home, she'd make herself large batches of broths with the groceries she'd bought, and she'd freeze them for future use, warming it up when she ate breakfast the next day or felt like making ramen for dinner. 

After a few weeks, Hana had gotten annoyed of being cooped up inside the house, so she'd venture down the streets and walk around until her feet were about to fall off. She'd watch families out in parks together, wishing that she could be as happy as a giggling four-year-old, and she'd follow birds in the sky and wonder where they'd flown off to when she lost sight of them. Hana pet a lot of dogs in parks, fed a few stray cats, and even found a robin's nest in a tree she'd climbed in a park once. Those days were lovely, at least until she got home and she was reminded of just how lonely she truly was. 

Part of her wanted to write to her friends more frequently like Sirius had been, but unlike him, Hana didn't want to share her loneliness or any part of its existence. She didn't want her friends to worry, to pity - and so she spent her evenings rereading old letters and sipping green tea on her window-seat, covered in a thick blanket. It got even worse on the days it rained, and Hana had to maintain the leaky roof. Pots and buckets would be scattered everywhere, and Hana had to make sure not to trip on any, which she did. 

On one particularly rainy day, Akira had come home at a most unusual time. It was nearly midday, and Hana was preparing herself some lunch with Haru rubbing himself against her shins. The pop had surprised her, and her knife slipped, blood blooming across her fingertips. 

" _Kuso_!" Hana cursed loudly.

She dropped the knife and turned the stovetop off before dashing to the bathroom, clutching her bloody hand in the other. She rinsed it off and took a god look at the wound. It wasn't too deep, but enough so that any muggle would tell her she'd need stitches. Instead, Hana reached into the cabinet above the sink and grabbed some Essence of Dittany. She let a few drops fall onto the cut and winced in discomfort. It burned a little, but the bleeding had stopped, and now a scar was there in place of the wound, looking neat and several days old. 

"There's blood on my floors."

Hana withheld a sigh. Her father was standing in the doorframe, looking unimpressed. It took her quite a bit of self-restraint to not mouth off at him.

" _Gomen'nasai, Otōsan_ ," she said politely. "I didn't expect you to come home at this hour. The Apparition sound surprised me and my knife slipped."  
"Clean it up."  
" _Hai, Otōsan_."

When Akira left, Hana grabbed a rag and wet it, then made her way back to the kitchen, wiping the floor as she went. She cleaned up the counter and tossed out everything that the blood had touched. When Hana returned to resume her cooking, Akira was seated at the dining room table, newspaper in hand. Haru was on the sofa, eyeing him viciously from afar, and it took everything for Hana not to laugh and to the same. 

"Would you like for me to make you a portion, _Otōsan_?"  
"That won't be necessary," he said curtly. "Just make me some tea."  
"Matcha?"

Akira grunted in response. Hana took a deep breath and forced a smile, then turned on the stovetop again. She put the kettle on and resumed the boiling of her broth, then busied herself to cut up bits of tofu, green onion and _wakame_. Hana swiftly turned around and pulled out a small bowl and bamboo whisk, then a tin of matcha powder. She dropped a spoonful of the tea into the bowl, and when the water was just under a boil, she added some to the power. Hana whisked vigorously until the liquid was frothy, and brought it to her father. He took a sip, paused, and set the bowl back down. Relieved that the tea seemed to be okay, Hana bowed politely and returned to her lunch. When the broth was simmering, she added the _wakame_ and a spoonful of white miso. A few minutes later, the green onions, and just before serving, she added the tofu. 

When Hana turned to sit at the table, Akira was gone, his tea finished and his newspaper on the table. The girl sighed, more of relief rather than disappointment. Her father made her nervous, and any little misstep could cause an outrage. Last time that had happened, things didn't end well. Hana washed the tea bowl and put it away, then sat down to enjoy her soup quietly.

"When will this summer end, Haru?" Hana muttered to the feline across the room. He provided a meow as an answer. "Yeah... not soon enough."

A few moments later, a pop was heard upstairs, and Akira was gone again. 

"Bye dad, maybe I'll see you before my second year starts..."

Haru made a noise.

"Yeah, I don't think so either."


	23. September 1st, 1972

The peace of King's Cross station was shattered by a twelve-year-old girl and her feline companion, running at incredible speed. She whooped into the air, a shrunken trunk in one hand, her blue coat sticking out against the grey London station. Heads turned, a man complained, another child mimicked her enthusiasm. Asking Hana to calm down would be like trying to tell a fire not to burn. Her eyes were alight, her every muscle needed to move, to dance, to jump. 

Today was September First, 1972.

Finally, the dreadful summer that Hana had suffered had come to an end, and she was mere moments away from returning to her friends, her dorm, the feasts and the beautiful grounds of Hogwarts castle. 

She'd be returning to classes, which she'd never admit to being excited about, and returning to seeing Slughorn's moustache twitch above his mouth like a caterpillar. This year was the year she'd try out for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team, or maybe even the Frog Choir - so many things set her mind alight, and even more so when the scarlet red steam engine came into view.

Haru weaved through everyone's feet and hopped onto the train without Hana, and she returned her trunk to its regular size before heading off down the platform in search of people she knew. There were many heads of hair that she recognised, many new faces and a few people that she couldn't see, having graduated this past June. But through it all, Hana finally spotted an un-tamed head of jet black hair, and she ran towards it like her life depended on it. A single foot away, Hana jumped and tackled the person, trapping him in a bone-crushing hug. 

" _Shéi shì_ \-- Hana!" Noah said, turning around to hug her back. "You're alive!"  
"I know!" Hana said with a laugh. "You'd think the boredom would have killed me."  
"Well, I'm glad it didn't."

Hana and Noah remained attached by the arm as they searched for their other friends. However, the Gryffindor boys weren't on the platform, and neither were Severus or Lily. So, Hana and Noah decided to stop their search for the moment and get a compartment. Thankfully, Haru had saved them a compartment, hissing at anybody who tried to enter. Just as the two friends were about to settle in, a loud bang came at the door, and Hana and Noah whipped around, startled. Screaming came from both sides of the door as Remus, Sirius and James shouted excitedly upon seeing the two Ravenclaws, and they too began shouting happily. They had a bit of problems opening the door, their fingers fumbling around the handle, but they managed to pry it open eventually, and they all clasped each other tightly, hugging out all the loneliness of their bodies. Hana nearly stopped breathing from all the back claps and tight squeezes, but she wouldn't have had it any other way. 

"You're alive!" Hana and Sirius loudly exclaimed at each other.   
"Barely!" Sirius said. "I swear, my mother was _this_ close to murdering me."  
"Well, I was _this_ close to murdering myself," Hana chuckled. " _Imaimashī_... I'm never spending an entire summer alone again - I'm going to go crazy."  
"That bad?" Remus asked as they all sat down for the train ride.   
"In the 69 days of summer break - that's like over 1600 hours - my father was home only 86 out of those 1600 hours. He was home for three days out of 69! Three! All I had was Haru, and he's not much for conversation."

Haru meowed indignantly. Hana rolled her eyes at him.

"I was locked in my room most of the summer," Sirius said. "Bought some Muggle things to make my parents mad. I only came down for meals, and then I'd get an earful. Regulus, _this_ ; Voldemort, _that_ \- it was horrible!"

James placed a comforting hand on his friend's shoulder.

"Snowflake, can I bum one of your rooms this summer?"  
" _Mondainai_. But I'll still ask my dad," Hana sighed. "He won't answer me, of course, but at least he won't be able to get mad if you're there."  
"Sweet!"  
"Or you can stay with me," James said. "And you can come too, Snowflake. We've got tons of empty rooms."  
"Oh, she won't go anywhere," Noah said airily. "I already asked her, and she said she _didn't want to impose_."  
"But I don't!" Hana chuckled. "I have so much stuff - I don't want to spread! I'm like a disease!"  
"You've got towers of books, not towers of viruses," Remus laughed.  
"Yeah, that's a disease," James and Sirius agreed.

Hana smacked both boys upside the head, but they all laughed. James, Remus and Noah lightened up the mood by telling everyone what they did during the summer. Hana was slightly irked to find out that James had been practising his broom riding skills and that he'd potentially gotten better, but pleased to find that Noah's mother was content with the boy's grades. Remus talked forever about his mother's garden and the books he'd read; James told everyone about the cottage he visited during summer break; and Noah spoke once again about his relatives and a few funny stories about them which involved a Kneazle and his great aunt Ming. Hana couldn't comprehend how a woman could be mistaken for one at all, but it was hilarious nonetheless.

A few hours went by, and Hana snuck out of the compartment on her search for other people. Haru followed her out, weaving through legs and other pets loose about the train. A few fanged frisbees went by Hana's head, and she caught a chocolate frog hopping out of a compartment and onto her head. The trolley lady passed by a few seconds later, and with the chocolate frog assault still in mind, she bought a few for herself as well a couple of liquorice wands and pumpkin pasties. Hana was halfway through a pastie when Haru disappeared, and she looked around for a compartment containing Lily Evans and Severus Snape. 

Hana made a move to dodge a spell, but as she did so, she rammed into a boy, who fell over.

"Oi, would you watch where you're pointing that thing!" she scolded the Hufflepuff. "On another note, nice hex."

Hana high-fived the girl as she passed, then turned around to help up the boy she'd knocked over. He was rather short and had mousy brown hair.

"Sorry about bumping into you," she said, extending a hand. "Seems to be a habit of mine."

The girl frowned and rolled her eyes. She wouldn't tell this to Severus _or_ Lily.

"Oh- oh, it's okay," the boy muttered. He seemed somewhat nervous to take Hana's hand, but he tugged himself up eventually. "I wasn't l-l-looking."  
"Daijōbudesuka?"

The boy blinked a few times.

"That wasn't English, was it?" Hana said, scratching her chin. The boy shook his head. "Well, you look fine to me, I don't need to ask again, right?"  
"Oh, that's what that was..."  
"Right. Yeah, you're fine," Hana said, suddenly quite chipper. "Well, I'll see you around!"

Hana smiled brightly and moved passed the boy, and her expression turned from happy to confused. She flicked herself on the forehead and muttered to herself:

" _Dono yō ni shite eigo to nihongo o mazemashita ka, Hana?_ "1

With her self-deprecation out of the way, Hana resumed her search for Lily and Severus, eventually finding them at the very end of the very last compartment on the train. She had no idea how Haru managed to get all the way there, nor why he always seemed to stick to Severus like he was hit with _Pellentesque 2_, but when Hana opened the compartment door, Haru was all over him again. Her attention was immediately drawn from her traitor cat and onto Lily, who'd jumped up and almost screeched upon seeing her.

"Hana!"  
"Lily!"   
"Would you two be quiet?"

Hana stuck her tongue out at Severus and continued squealing with Lily for another good five minutes, expressing to each other how much they'd missed one another and also just to spite the boy that was with them. 

"It's good to see you too, Severus," Hana said with a small laugh.  
"I didn't say I was pleased to see you," Severus replied, keeping his nose in _Death in Midsummer and Other Stories_.  
"Lily, remind me why I missed him?"

Lily shrugged and laughed.

"How's my book?" Hana asked, seating herself beside Severus.  
"I'm only halfway through."  
"Yes, but I sent that to you over a month ago. You finished a book twice that size in under a week. Are you rereading it?"

There was a moment of silence, and then a quiet grumble. Hana smiled.

"Which story was your favourite?"  
"Patriotism," Severus replied simply.  
" _Ā, sore wa ī ne!_ I like Death in Midsummer the best, though."  
"I guess I'll have to borrow that after, then," Lily said with a small chuckle. "Seems good."  
"Sure. Well, that's if Severus will let you have it."

Severus rolled his eyes and sighed, closed the book and then tossed to Lily. Both girls laughed.

"Oh, how was your summer, by the way?" Hana asked her friends.

Haru made a noise and Hana began to pet him absent-mindedly.

"Oh, it was nice!" Lily said with a smile. "We went to our cottage down in the Cotswolds, and we went hiking and to the wildlife park. And my parents went over to the distillery one night, so I got the cottage to myself. It was great. Shame I didn't get to see you or Severus, though."

A small sense of relief washed over Hana, and she felt almost guilty for it, but Lily and Severus not seeing each other during the summer was a small comfort - at least she hadn't been the only one to be alone. 

"Sev?"  
"My summer was uneventful," the boy said. "I read, studied for Potions."  
"Thrilling," Hana said sarcastically.  
"I suppose your summer was much more eventful?"  
"Oh, no. I understand your pain. My father was home for a grand total of three days, the only conversation I had was with Haru, and through letters, I've reread my textbooks enough times to recite them all, and I think I've finally learned how to speak Mandarin properly. _Wǒ shuō de duì ma?_ "

Hana sunk back into her seat and frowned.

" _Děng děng... Nǐ zěnme zhīdào?_ "3 she mumbled to herself.  
"Well, at least your summer was productive," Lily said.  
"Yes, but, Lily, I'm twelve years old. I don't want a productive summer. I want a fun one - a memorable one. I learned Mandarin because I was bored."  
"Maybe next summer you can learn Yiddish," Severus said sarcastically.  
"Yiddish!?"

* * *

Hana's focus was scattered. She was so filled with anticipation, excitement, giddiness - she couldn't even hold a conversation with Lily and Severus beside her. Haru was meowing in a concerned manner, looking up at her, but Hogwarts Castle was in front of Hana, and it made her heart soar and her mind wander. She'd missed the twinkling lights, the lake, even the Thestrals that were pulling the carriages towards the school. Hana couldn't wait to start learning new things, to absorb as much information as her brain would allow.

Walking into the Great Hall, Hana's eyes wandered up to the candles and enchanted ceiling, and they sparkled with wonder. Ahead, Dumbledore was smiling in his seat, eyes shining behind his glasses. All the professors were seated in their usual spots, and they smiled at the returning students as they filed in. 

Hana waved to Lily and Severus before heading over to the Ravenclaw table, where she found Noah. A few moments later, a group of students in black robes walked in, looking nervous and excited. It was the new First Years, and Hana couldn't help but smile. Had she looked like this last year when _she_ was sorted? New students joined the Ravenclaw table, a few Hufflepuffs were sorted, a couple of nasty looking kids were sorted into Slytherin, and a few others were put into Gryffindor, like that boy Peter Hana had met on the train. However, it had taken him a full five minutes to get sorted. He sat beside Sirius, Remus and James, and the four of them immediately got to talking. Then Dumbledore stood and said a few words, and the feast began.

"Oh, I hope we have classes together," Hana said, tucking into some roast beef.  
"We need to have History of Magic together this time," Noah said. "If we don't, I'm going to go mad."  
"Well, Mr Xiang, I think you'll be all right."

Hana and Noah looked over towards the voice and found professor Flitwick handing out timetables. They hurriedly grabbed them and scanned their contents.

"What classes have we got together?" Hana asked.  
"I'm glad to announce that I won't be dying this year - we've got History of Magic together," Noah said with a smile.  
" _Shitte yokatta._ "4  
"Oh, we've also got Transfiguration, Herbology and Astronomy together."  
"Yes! That means we can get excessively good scores in Transfiguration and put everyone else to shame!"

Professor Flitwick came back around on his way to the staff table, and Hana called out to him.

"Yes, Miss Yukimura?"  
"Would it be possible to apply for a few extra-curricular activities?" Hana asked.  
"Oh, of course!"

A roll of parchment suddenly appeared from the professor's sleeve, as did a quill, and he looked at her expectantly.

"I'd like to apply for the open Seeker position on our House team."  
"Oh, good," Flitwick said happily.  
"I would also like to apply or at least try out for the Frog Choir. I don't know if you're going to hold auditions or..?"  
"Oh, yes, yes! A few students in the Choir graduated last year - there are many open positions. Should I put you down to try out for a lead or backup?"  
"Both. It'll make better odds," Hana said with a smile. "That's all, professor. Dōmo arigatōgozaimashita!"  
"You're very welcome, dear."

The Ravenclaw Head of House left, a little spring in his step, and Hana returned to eating.

"Both the Choir _and_ Quidditch?" Noah asked, seemingly concerned. "Do you think you'll have time for all that _plus_ your studies, Hana?"  
"Please," Hana scoffed. She shovelled a pile of mash into her mouth. "I could do all this and more while blindfolded and with my hands tied behind my back."  
"Only because you've read too many murder mystery books and you know how to get out of that kind of situation."  
"Calculated risks, my dear Noah. Calculated."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: "How did you get English and Japanese mixed up, Hana?"  
> 2: There wasn't any known incantation for the Sticking Charm (not the Transfiguration spell, Epoximise) so I made my own. Pellentesque is Latin for 'sticky'.  
> 3: Am I saying this right? / Wait... how would you know?  
> 4: Good to know.


	24. Comfort

Hana hadn't been at school for even two weeks, and she was already starting to feel stressed. Noah was there to point out it was her own fault, which didn't help at all, and made her even more annoyed with just about everything. Any more of this and she'd turn into Severus' doppelganger. All this stress stemmed from her choice to apply to both Quidditch and the Frog Choir. The tryouts for the team were this weekend, and so were the auditions for the Choir. Noah was right: she'd definitely have to chose one or the other if she was going to stay sane. The stress had made it nearly impossible to sleep too, and after her late-night Astronomy class, Hana wanted nothing more than to _Avada Kedavra_ herself.

"You look particularly raving this morning, Snowflake," Sirius said casually, as Hana took a seat before him at the Gryffindor table. "What's got your wand in a knot?"  
"I haven't even tried out for the Ravenclaw Quidditch team or the Frog Choir, and I'm already feeling the pressure. I hate to admit it, but Noah was right - I'll have to chose between the two," the girl said rapidly, piling one, two, three waffles onto her plate. "This is driving me mental! I'm already picturing myself failing all my classes and dying of calming draught overdose in the next few months. I can't do this; I'm only twelve for Merlin's sake!"  
"Then just try out for the team," James said, mouth full of food. "Screw the Choir."  
"I can't just _screw_ the Choir, James. I have to get to know them first."

James and Sirius burst out laughing. Noah and Remus merely rolled their eyes. Peter, the newest addition to this rowdy band of friends, said nothing, but his face went beet red a few seconds after Hana spoke. 

"Look, you nearly threw a fit when Sirius and I went to find that damn piano, last year," James continued. "Are you sure you want to sing in front of the entire school when it took you everything to sing for us?"

Hana's eyebrows furrowed. He had a point though; she _had_ sung without issue in front of Severus during the holidays.

"Look, I'll think about it," Hana said, stuffing three layers of waffle into her mouth.  
"Well, you've got two days," Noah said with a sly smirk.  
" _Bùyào tíxǐng wǒ_!"1

Hana escorted her friends to class, but remained behind, as she was one of the lucky ones who'd had Astronomy until well past midnight last night, and didn't have any scheduled classes in the morning. Of course, most students used this time to catch up on the sleep they'd missed. However, after the sweet sensation of rest passed her by throughout the night, and her lazy feline companion had gotten up for the day, Hana stopped trying. Instead, she'd gotten up, taken a long hot shower, and headed down for breakfast a few minutes after Noah.

For now, until her class after lunch, Hana would have to occupy herself with anything she could get her hands on. There hadn't been any homework assigned yet, nor was there anything she could do to get ahead in her studies as she'd read her textbooks during the summer at least four times each. So Hana wandered out onto the grounds, aimlessly walking around, kicking rocks as she passed them. One of them returned when she passed by the lake - a Grindylow had tossed it back at her after it hit its head. She dodged it quite easily and gave the creature a half-smile before seating herself by the water.

The lake mirrored the sky above, both of them the kind of blue that coloured those impossibly bright tourist brochures. Hana closed her eyes. The breeze that ran unchecked over the rippled surface blew her long bangs from her eyes and brought colour to her pale cheeks. Without the distraction of the view, Hana could detect the scent. The humid early autumn air was fragranced with the pine trees that circled the lake. It almost felt like home, but then again, she couldn't smell the salty sea air or the wisteria that grew around her house or hear the cicadas singing in the tall grasses. A wistful smile crept up onto her lips, and she opened her eyes.

" _Itsu ka... Mata ie ni kaerimasu._ "2  
"What's that mean?"

Hana was pulled from her thoughts and almost jumped at the sound of the voice. It was Severus, arms filled with books which he set down between Hana and himself as he sat down. 

"Nothing. Just... thinking about home."

Severus made a small hum of understanding but said nothing. 

"Did you raid the library?" Hana asked, a playful smile on her face.  
"No, just doing a bit of light reading."

Hana rose an eyebrow.

" _Light_ reading? Severus, you've got seven books here." Hana shook her head, smiling. "You're mad. What are these even about?"

Severus' head snapped towards Hana as she went to look at the books. She paused and looked at him, wondering what kind of reading could warrant such a reaction. Hana furrowed her eyebrows at him but went to look at the books regardless of the boy's nervous demeanour.

" _Magick Moste Evile_ , _Curses and Counter-Curses_ , _The Dark Arts: A Legal Companion_... Did you get these in the Restricted Section, Severus?"  
"Not all of them," he said, voice a little shaky.  
"Let me rephrase that. Did you _take_ them from the Restricted Section?"  
"Not... all of them."

Hana narrowed her eyes at Severus, then suddenly snatched the copy of Magick Moste Evile.

"Cool," the girl said with a shrug. She turned a few pages and looked sideways at Severus - he was still looking at her, nervous. "I'm not going to tell Lily, don't worry. Just as long this is purely academic, hm?"  
"W-What, of course, you dunderhead!"  
"Good." Hana turned back to the book. "Ooh, disembowelling."  
"'Ooh, disembowelling'?" Severus repeated, a little concerned.  
"Hey, just because I'm not going to disembowel, doesn't meant I couldn't know how to do it."  
"And _I'm_ the one who's mad?"

Hana stuck her tongue out at Severus and went back to reading. Every single paragraph in this book was enough to make Hana's skin crawl, but that didn't make it any less fascinating. The horrors of the human mind intrigued her, for more than one reason, and it took the promise of lunch to lure her away from the more than horrific entries of Godelot's book. 

Hana let Severus stash the books in her bag with the undetectable extension charm, and on their way to lunch, both of them hoped that Madam Pince didn't make regular trips to the restricted section. Neither of them would be happy to have those books zooming straight out of Hana's bag in broad daylight.

"Oh, there you are!"

Lily greeted them in the Great Hall, and she got up from the Gryffindor table to join Hana and Severus at the Ravenclaw table.

"What were you guys up to?" she asked.  
"Reading," Severus said simply.  
"Anything interesting?"  
"Just textbooks."

It looked like it pained him to stop there. Clearly he wasn't used to keeping things from Lily.

"Yeah, we were just reading ahead for a couple classes," Hana added. "Speaking of classes, how do you like the new Defence Against the Arts teacher?"  
"I don't know," Lily said thoughtfully. "She's nice and definitely less creepy than the one we had last year, but I think she'll succumb to the curse too."  
"Curse?" Severus asked.  
"There's this rumour that the Defence Against the Dark Arts position is cursed. Something about a disgruntled student who was refused the position by the previous Headmaster _and_ Dumbledore."  
"If I can't have it, nobody can," Hana said jokingly in a high-pitched voice. She followed it up with a mock evil laugh, which made Lily laugh. Hana bowed to the table. "Thank you, thank you."  
"Could you never do that again?" Severus said.  
"Come on, Sev" Lily chuckled. "That kind of acting deserves an Academy Award."

Hana didn't know what an Academy Award was, but judging from the look of despair on Severus' face, she knew that it was far too high praise for what she'd just done. 

Defence Against the Dark Arts was Hana and Severus' next class, and both of them dreaded it and were excited for it at the same time. While the subject matter of the class was fascinating for both students, it was the one class Hana and Severus shared with James, Sirius and Remus, which made for a tense atmosphere at the very least. To make matters worse, Hana learned that to be able to pay attention in class, she had to sit beside Severus. This was an unpleasant conversation that persisted after each Defence Against the Dark Arts class, and into Transfiguration with Noah.

As usual, Severus and Hana sat in the second row and took out their textbooks. They engaged in small talk, and a little bit of banter before familiar laughs filled the classroom. Severus cast a side glance at Hana, who looked anxious. She wasn't, worried that is, but she _was_ waiting for the bomb to drop and the drama to begin. She loved those boys to bits, but man could they be idiots. What had happened to them calming down on harassing Severus?

"Yo, Snowflake, the hell you doing over there again?"

Hana's eyes closed and she sighed deeply. A few other students had arrived, and they were trying to mind their own business—they knew what was coming.

"Sirius, I don't want to get into this again," Hana said calmly. "I'm sitting with Severus, and that's the end of it."  
"Yeah, but why? Snive--"  
" _Severus_."  
"Snivellus is just going to get his grease all over you," Sirius continued, unphased.

Hana clicked her tongue and sighed, starting to get more annoyed than she'd like. 

"Sirius, I am going to say this one final time, and I hope the rest of you are listening as well," Hana said, eyes glancing over to James and Remus. "I don't care if you don't like Severus. You're entitled to that. But it's one thing to dislike him, and another to be an arse about it. I won't stand for it, especially if it's coming from my friends."  
"We're just looking out for you," James said rather harshly. "He's got some weird friends, you know. Nasty looking people."  
"What's it to you!?" Severus snapped, turning to face the Gryffindors.  
"I don't want you contaminating her with your grease or your little Slytherin friends!" Sirius shouted. "She's better off without you!"  
"Enough!"

Hana's voice was loud, but it trembled halfway through, just like her hand that was shaking more violently than any of her friends had seen. Confrontation. Hana hated it. It made horrible memories resurface, and that's why she chose to deal with problems calmly, avoiding conflict altogether if possible.

Severus nearly reached out to her, but pulled his hand back at the last second, deciding against it.

"Sit down, Sirius, and stop this," Hana said, trying to make her voice sound even. "I don't want to argue with you."  
"Fine," Sirius said, finally relenting. 

He shot a glare at Severus, who quickly turned back around. Hana shot one last glance at Remus and James before turning as well. As if on cue, Professor Tempesta waltzed in. Hana hid her hands underneath her desk. Maybe if she couldn't see her hands, they'd stop shaking. But it didn't make her feel any better. Her hand was still shaking, and her thoughts were accelerating inside her head. She wanted them to stop, or at least to slow so she could breathe, but they wouldn't. Hana's breaths came in short quiet gasps, and she felt as if she was going to black-out. Her heart was hammering; the room was spinning, she felt sick.

Something cold on her shaking hand snapped Hana back to reality. It didn't calm her by any means, but the nausea and the spinning had stopped. Not once in all her life had someone tried to calm her, or even attempt to touch the hand that shook incessantly whenever panic set in. What struck her the most was that someone was doing it at all.

It was uncharacteristic of Severus to comfort others, or even to want to comfort others, but he hadn't really thought about it. Before he realised what he was doing, his fingers gently wrapped themselves around Hana's hand. It was especially odd considering that he'd stopped himself from doing it earlier. When she looked at him with fear and surprise etched onto her features, Severus almost regretted his actions and pulled his hand away. But almost as soon as he had that thought, Hana's shaking fingers closed around his own.

Hana and Severus' hands remained hidden underneath their desks for the majority of the class, and no one noticed that they were intertwined together, providing each other comfort.

They stayed that way until Hana was calm again, but they'd deny it if you asked them about it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Don't remind me!  
> 2: Someday... I'll see home again.


	25. Apologies

Today was the day.

Quidditch tryouts. Frog Choir auditions.

Hana had never bit her nails before, but there was a first for everything. Instead of eating breakfast, the Ravenclaw was chewing on her fingers. Noah had to pry her hand away for her to eat something, but even after insisting, Hana couldn't stomach anything. She was nervous beyond repair, and it didn't help that her and the Gryffindor boys hadn't made up since their altercation in Defence Against the Dark Arts on Thursday. She only had Noah to cheer her up, and he wasn't very good at it. Mostly, he was just getting annoyed that she wasn't eating.

"Hana, come on, you need to eat," he said with a sigh. " _Wǒ bùyào nǐ hūndǎo_."1  
"Let me pass out. At least I won't have to pick which activity to drop," Hana muttered.  
"You haven't chosen yet?"

Her hands went to her mouth again, but she flexed her fingers and put them on the table. Surprisingly, her hands weren't shaking.  
  
"No, no, no. I got it. I got it."  
"You sure?"

Hana nodded and poured herself a cup of tea. She hadn't really decided, but she'd determined that Quidditch was the better option to take, and after thinking it over, it seemed the right choice. Singing in the Frog Choir would be fun, but she didn't really want to sing in front of the whole school. It was too personal. Singing and playing music was something that she did with her mother, and in all honesty, Hana was reluctant to share that with everyone else. James was right. It had taken a lot for her to sing for _them_ , she couldn't imagine doing it in front of the whole school.

After breakfast, which consisted of a cup of tea and a handful of berries, Hana rushed up to her dormitory and spent a few seconds answering the knocker's riddle. She grabbed her thick Ravenclaw jumper and her good pair of shoes, then ran back out and down onto the Quidditch pitch. It was larger than she remembered, or maybe it was just that she was _on_ the field rather than looking down onto it this time. When she arrived near the stands, a fellow Ravenclaw got her into a spare uniform and tossed her some fingerless gloves to better hold onto her broom. Hana grabbed the best-looking broom off the rack and headed to the centre of the pitch where all the other candidates were waiting. 

Hana glanced around and into the stands. Noah, Lily and Severus were all sitting together, and the first two waved excitedly when Hana spotted them. Severus merely offered up a half-smile as a sign of encouragement. The Gryffindor boys were nowhere to be found. 

Hana's attention was captured by Isobel Pickerin, the Team's Captain, as soon as she started talking. She had a very commanding voice, but it wasn't harsh at all.

"All right, ladies and gents," she said. "Welcome to tryouts, old members and new blood. Before we start, I want to make one thing clear: just because you made the team last year, doesn't mean you'll make it this year. As new Captain, I need a team that _I_ can work with seamlessly." A few people grumbled, but nothing more. "So, we're going to do this in stages. First, I want laps. I need to see if you guys can actually ride a broom and aren't just here to skive off class. Then we're going to do a speed run, and I'll keep the top two for each position."

Pickerin clapped her hands together.  
  
"Okay, I want Chasers to my left, Beaters to my right, Seekers in front of me, and Keepers to start their laps. Come on, hop to it!"

The half dozen Keeper candidates shuffled around and mounted their brooms, taking off seconds later. Then Pickerin called for the Chasers to start, then the Beaters. When the Beaters went up onto their brooms, Hana mounted hers and slipped on her gloves. When the Captain called for the Seekers to go, Hana was the first off the pitch. She wouldn't have had it any other way. After all, speed was one of two significant qualities of a suitable Seeker. 

Hana was lucky that she'd picked one of the better brooms. Some of the students, which she'd seen fly decently, were now flying sub-par because of the brooms they chose, but a few were compensating for them. When Pickerin whistled for the speed laps to start, Hana kicked it up a notch. Her broom shook, displeased with the demand for more speed, but let up after a bit of persistence. She passed all those with uncooperative brooms and even a few Beaters before the whistle blew again. 

Slowly, all the candidates flew back to the centre of the pitch. One by one, Pikerin began listing people that didn't make the cut for the preliminary tests and sent them off the pitch immediately. A few of them were old members and left grumbling, but most of them were new blood. Hana held her breath, and when the Captain finished listing names without saying hers, she let out a sigh of relief. She was safe.

"All right, now we're going to test by position," Pickerin said. "First up, Keepers. Knotley, Pike - get up there."

The two remaining Keeper candidates flew up to the rings, and for the next ten minutes, Pickerin drilled them nonstop. Hana didn't know who did better, mostly because she was too preoccupied by the other Seeker trying out for the team. He was huge, a few years older, and she knew that he was a good flyer. It didn't help that he kept staring at her. 

"All right, Knotley, you're on the team. Pike, you got reserve," Pickerin said, shooing Pike off the pitch. "Chasers, get up there."

It took a long time before the Chasers were done. They zoomed around the pitch, distracting Hana from the other Seeker for a while. Seeing them move around so fast and deftly was impressive. In the end, two new Chasers were added to the team, and both previous Chasers kicked off the team but kept as reserves. They angrily left the pitch, swearing under their breath. Hana suddenly got even more nervous.

"Beaters. Up!"

Hana watched intently while the Beaters were tested. While bludgers were rarely aimed at Seekers, Hana still wanted to analyse their movements in case one _did_ eventually come her way, even if by some weird accident. After several minutes and a few screams of terror, Pickerin determined that the two current Beaters were best for the job, and sent the new candidates off with words of encouragement and a promise of keeping them as reserves.

Finally, it was up to the Seekers, and Hana couldn't have been any more nervous than she was now. She looked over at her friends in the stands, who all gave her a thumbs up for encouragement. While appreciated, it didn't help much. Up in the air, her opponent looked even more threatening, but Hana was determined to show him up. When Pickerin whistled and released the snitch, Hana zoomed up a few feet above her competition. He looked at her but remained where he was, scouring the skies for the shiny little golden pain in the ass. 

It took a while, and Hana was honestly starting to get bored, but she eventually spotted the snitch. She was about to dart straight for it when an idea came to mind. Instead of going directly for the snitch on her left, Hana climbed up to the right. Immediately, the other Seeker climbed up to follow her. He followed her as she rapidly circled the snitch, but after a few seconds of seeing nothing ahead, he backed off. 

Hana smiled. In an instant, she turned against her broom's wishes and veered off to the left. The other Seeker realised too late. By the time that he'd caught up to her, Hana was already racing for the snitch, fingers inches away from claiming it. He attempted to reach out to her broom, in an effort to throw her off balance, but she swerved just enough to get out of hand's reach and leaned forward for more speed. A wave of elation washed over Hana as her fingers closed around the little golden snitch and its wings stopped moving. 

Hana heard the other Seeker swear loudly, and she turned around to face him. He looked almost murderous, which only made Hana's smile grow.

"Tough luck."

She tossed the snitch in the air and caught it again, grinning. The boy rolled his eyes and went down to the pitch. Hana followed, looking over to the stands. While Severus remained seated, Lily and Noah was cheering like die-hard fans, standing up and jumping like she'd just won the Quidditch Cup. Hana laughed and shook her head.

"Idiots," she muttered under her breath.  
"Nicely done, Yukimura," Pickerin said as Hana landed on the pitch. "You're on the team. Keep the snitch as a souvenir." She leaned in to whisper. "Just don't tell Hooch."

Hana chuckled and put the snitch in her pocket.

"All right, kids!" Pickerin called. "I gotta say, well done! Got some strong new blood in here - I like it. To the oldies, you've managed to keep up - I like that too. So, here's this year's team: Knotley, Keeper. We've got myself, Latimer and Rodney, as Chasers. Eiran and Tiordan you're still my favourite Beaters. Last but not least, we've got Yukimura as Seeker."

The Team cheered.

"Now, I've already asked Flitwick to book the pitch for us every Saturday afternoon for practice."

Hana let out a sigh of relief. She wouldn't have to wake up early.

"We practise starting after lunch until dinner, no exceptions. On weekdays, pitch is free for everyone to use, but I'll be there on Thursday mornings for those who are free as well." Pickerin took a deep breath and smiled. "There's no practise scheduled for today, but be here next Saturday one o'clock sharp.  
"On a side note. Please be reminded that those of you who wish to purchase a personal broom, you are most highly encouraged. Just don't forget to get it approved and registered by Hooch before our first practice."

With that, the new and old members of the Quidditch team were dismissed. Hana shed her borrowed uniform and gloves, and put her broom back on the rack, before heading over to the stands. Lily squealed happily and hugged her tightly, congratulating her on making the team. Noah made sure to threaten her into making the team win, and Severus just _had_ to remind her that he wouldn't visit her in the hospital wing when she got hit by a bludger.

The four friends were headed off of the pitch to celebrate when James, Sirius and Remus descended from the far end of the stands. Lily glared at them and pulled Severus away, apologising to Hana and Noah on her way. Hana gave them a half-smile, then turned to the boys as they left.  
  
"When did you get here? I didn't see you in the stands."  
"We got here when you were flying after the snitch," Remus said. "It was a nice catch."  
"Thanks," Hana said, smiling a little.

James and Sirius said nothing, but after a nudge in the ribs from Remus, Sirius spoke.

"We're also here to apologise."

Hana rose an eyebrow.

"For acting like complete wankers," Remus added, looking over to the other two.  
"Right, that," James said. "We don't like Sni-- _Snape_ , but we can't really stop you from hanging out with him."  
"Yeah, and we like you too much to let you go," Sirius said, a lopsided smile on his face. 

Hana chuckled.

"Thanks, Rem."  
"Rem!? Just Rem!? What about us!?"  
"This obviously wasn't your idea," Noah said plainly.  
"That's a fact," Remus said, smiling.  
"Oi, you've got to give us _some_ credit!" James complained.  
"Sure, sure. I'm sure speaking words is very difficult."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: I don't want you to pass out


	26. Mischief

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Finally!  
> This is the new chapter, everyone, and I hope you enjoy this little bit of mischief! ♥

It was a beautiful morning - so beautiful that you would scarcely have believed that the few months of an English summer had gone by and it was now autumn. Hedges, fields and trees, hill and moorland, presented to the eye ever-varying shades of deep vibrant green. No leaves had fallen, and no yellows or oranges mingled with the hues of summer. The sky was cloudless, the sun shone out bright and warm despite the early morning, and the songs of birds filled the air. The gardens around the castle courtyard were a sight to behold, crowned with flowers of every rich and beautiful colour that sparkled in the heavy dew like glittering jewels. 

The autumn day had Hana's spirits soaring beyond the bright green boughs above. The brilliant shafts of sunlight caressed the lawns of the castle before her. Each breath of fresh air filled her with a sense of life that almost made her want to shout out loud. However, Hana's friends were already doing that for her. James and Sirius were wrestling on the lawns in front of the lake, cursing each other rather colourfully as one pulled the other's hair or kicked them too close to the water. Peter was watching avidly, like some Quidditch fan on the edge of his seat, while Remus and Noah both had their noses in books and couldn't be bothered to pay attention. Hana was standing near the water, happily playing the referee in James and Sirius' wrestling match that the latter was most definitely winning. 

"Foul! James, no biting!"

As Hana called out the foul, Sirius took advantage of the distraction and flipped his friend over. Hana dodged the boy as he toppled over into the lake. Noah and Remus looked up, startled, but both groaned and went back to their books almost immediately. Peter was shrieking as he went over to pull James from the water, and Hana and Sirius both doubled over with laughter as they watched him emerge from the lake soaking wet. An angry grindylow threw a stone at him, but he dodged it in time, and it hit Sirius in the forehead. He charged at the lake, towards the water sprite, but got tackled by James. They struggled a bit until Hana went over and nudged them into the water. They landed with a splash, and from that splash rose laughter from Hana, Remus and Noah. Even Peter laughed at this one. 

"Oi! That's no fair!" Sirius said as he emerged from the water.  
"Yeah! Interference!" James echoed, following Sirius out of the lake. "I'll toss _you_ in!"  
" _Damedamedame_!" Hana giggled, backing away from the two boys. "Go take it out on someone else!"

James and Sirius ignored her pleas and ran after her. Hana screeched, albeit with a smile on her face, and ran off. The two boys chased her around the tree for a short while until they caught up to her. James grabbed her in his arms and threatened to toss her in the lake, but he and Sirius began tickling her mercilessly until she could barely breathe. It took an intervention from Remus and the promise of some long-deserved tomfoolery to pry them away.

It was something that Hana and the boys had been planning for quite some time, and they finally had the time to all pull it off together. But first, they needed to get into the kitchens.

* * *

Hana and Noah headed down the stairs to the dungeons. To others, it seemed like they had no reason at all to be there; it was the middle of the week, and neither of them had potions class. However, the two Ravenclaw were on a mission, and they wouldn't let these odd looks deter them. When no one was in sight, Hana and Noah bolted for the kitchen corridor. In a nook on the right-hand side of the kitchen corridor, there was a massive stack of barrels. Hana pulled Noah behind them as Professor Slughorn walked passed, leaving his office.

" _Girigirideshita_ ," Hana muttered.  
"Yeah, a bit too close," Noah whispered back. "What is taking these idiots so long?"

It wasn't long before Hana and Noah could hear several pairs of feet running across the dungeon floors. It was Sirius, James, Remus and Peter all barrelling down the corridor with a cage covered with a cloth. It was shaking, and there were some high-pitched whining noises coming from inside. 

"We've got them! We've got them!" Sirius whispered loudly.  
"Filch is onto us, though - we have to hurry!" James announced.  
"What! I thought you said you could this properly!" Noah exclaimed.  
"Well, we were fine until Peter started babbling near him!"  
"Peter!"  
"S-Sorry..."

Hana sighed and rolled her eyes. James and Sirius then moved out of the way and let Hana get to the stack of barrels. She counted the barrels in her mind, then tapped a specific barrel to the rhythm of 'Helga Hufflepuff'. All of a sudden, the lid of the barrel swung open and exposed a passageway that lead down to the Hufflepuff's common room. The friends all beamed at each other and proceeded with the rest of the plan. James pulled the cloth off the cage, and a dozen Cornish Pixies came screeching at the bars. Sirius place the cage in the entrance and in one fell swoop, unlatched the cage's door. As the Pixies escaped, Remus closed the entrance door. The friends pressed their ears to the door. It was silent for a while, but eventually, dozens and dozens of screams could be heard from the hallway. James and Sirius high-fived each other, Hana and Remus giggled, and Noah listened on, both slightly horrified and amused.

Hana glanced over at Sirius and spotted a strange shadow on the wall behind him. It was getting nearer, and Hana could tell by the peculiar way it moved that it wasn't good news.

" _Kuso_!" Hana roared. "It's Filch!"  
"What!" James called.  
"How the hell are we getting out of here?" Sirius asked.  
"I thought you'd planned this through?" Remus asked, deadpan. He didn't seem surprised that this was going so horribly wrong. "Or did you plan this expecting everything to go swimmingly?"  
"Shut up, Rem!  
"Luckily for you, Hana oversleeps," Noah laughed. Hana glared at him. "Follow us."

Noah and Hana lead their friends opposite Filch's shadow. They passed a few classrooms, some storage cupboards, and the Slytherin common room before they came to a dead end.

"Oi, this isn't funny!" Sirius called.  
"Shut it, will you?" Hana hissed. She turned to the wall and whispered, "I hear the pitter-patter of rats, let me out before they eat my hats."  
"Excuse me?" James chuckled.

To his surprise, a few parts of the wall slid aside just wide enough for people to walk in single-file. Hana ushered everyone in then went last as the wall slid shut again. The corridor lit up with the help of Remus' wand, and the group of friends marched down the narrow path, giggling to themselves. They found the end of the tunnel in a few minutes, and Noah pushed the door open slightly. A small crack of light poked its way into the passageway, and when the coast was clear, he pushed the door all the way open. The six friends emerged from a broom closet near the Great Hall, one of Sirius' feet clanking from a bucket he'd stepped in. James yanked it off, tossed it back into the closet and shut the door. There was a moment of silence as they all looked at each other, but then they all burst into great waves of laughter.

"'I hear the pitter-patter of rats, let me out before they eat my hats'?" Remus chuckled. "Where did you get that from?"  
"The closet," Hana admitted with a laugh.

The six friends headed over to the Great Hall for supper as they spoke.

"I'd overslept again and was rushing out of the Great Hall after snatching something off the table to eat. I ran off, of course, and you know how my coordination is."  
"Abysmal," Noah commented.  
"Well, I tripped over my own feet and fell into the broom closet. It turns out it wasn't just a closet. When I first went through, there was a piece of parchment at the end of the tunnel."  
"And that's what was written on it?" James asked.

Hana nodded, and they all laughed.

"And that's not the only passageway we know," Noah added. "There's one off of the fifth-floor corridor too. That's how Hana gets everywhere after sleeping too long."  
"Wow, that's a lot of s-secret passageways," Peter mumbled.  
"I'm sure there's more," Sirius said gleefully. "D'you reckon we should look for them all?"  
"Well, it'd sure make these sort of mishaps more escapable," James noted.  
"Then map the castle," Remus suggested. "Find them all, map them - keep them secret. For our eyes only."  
"I think you're onto something, Rem."


	27. Unnatural Cold

"That one looks all right."  
"I don't want something that looks all right, Lily. I need something _good_. I'm the Seeker for Merlin's sake."  
"You want a British or American broom?"  
"American brooms aren't worth the money."

Lily's, Noah's and Hana's eyes all went from the thick broomstick pamphlet between plates full of food to Severus, who was staring so intently at his book it was a miracle he was listening enough to answer - and about Quidditch of all things.

"Since when do you know anything about broomsticks?" Noah asked, arching an eyebrow.  
"Yeah, I thought you hated Quidditch, Sev," Lily said.

Severus sighed and closed his book.

"I don't hate Quidditch, I hate being on a broom - there's a difference," he explained, then turned to Hana. "Cleansweeps and Comets are good, but honestly everyone has those."  
"Fair point," Hana said, scooting over to face Severus properly. "So, what then? A Nimbus?"

Severus sighed and pulled the pamphlet towards him. It looked as if he were about to read something off of it, but he folded it up instead.

"Don't be daft; get a Japanese broomstick."  
"Japan makes broomsticks?" Lily asked.  
"Yeah, they do, but I never considered getting one. Although I honestly should have. All the best professional Quidditch players are Japanese," Hana boasted. "They train under the worst conditions, which makes it easy to play on a clear pitch."  
"You saying we Brits are crap?" Noah asked, jokingly taunting the girl.  
"So what if I am?" Noah rolled his eyes and tossed a blueberry at Hana. "So, a Japanese broom, then?"  
"It's your best bet," Severus said simply, opening his book again. "Brooms are like wands; they have personalities. A Japanese broom will... listen better."  
" _Kashikoi kata, arigatō_ ," Hana said, putting her hands together and bowing over the table.

Noah laughed and kept eating, while Lily was confused as to what Hana had just said. Severus looked up expectantly, waiting for a translation.

"Thank you, oh wise one," Hana repeated with a chuckle.  
"You dunderhead."

Hana flicked a blueberry at him, and he threw one back at her, hitting her square in the forehead. Lily had to stop Hana from throwing the entire bowl at him in retaliation, but the rest of their breakfast went without a hitch. When they were leaving for their classes, the new Groundskeeper, Rubeus Hagrid, was walking in the Great Hall with dozens of mammoth-sized pumpkins to decorate, for tonight was the Hallowe'en Feast. Hana couldn't wait to see how they'd decorate this year.

Noah and Hana separated from Lily and Severus a few feet out of the Great Hall, and they joined James, Sirius and Remus in the Courtyard on their way to Herbology class. Hana subtly played with the snitch in her pocket, still worried that if someone spotted it, they'd take it away or that one of the boys would nick it - mostly likely James even though he already stole on from Gryffindor's stores. He was notorious for taking things that weren't his, including several of Sirius' neckties which he claimed to have lost and one of Hana's nicer quills (which she let him have, in all honesty). But the snitch was special, and for that reason, she had to keep it out of his reach. 

The five friends took their places on the left side of the greenhouse, and chattered while putting on their sturdy dragonhide gloves - they were supposed to be repotting Mandrakes today. Madam Pomfrey arrived a few minutes later and settled the class, then began explaining everything about the Mandrake even though they'd leaned everything about it the year before. Nevertheless, it was a fun class, and it got even more amusing when one of the baby Mandrakes bit Sirius on the finger. He spent the next few minutes yelling at it, which only made the plant cry more, and it took an intervention from Madam Pomfrey to get the Mandrake in its pot and covered with soil.

Hana, Noah, James, Remus and Sirius exited the classroom covered in dragon dung and potting soil all over their skin and their robes, but they left with smiles on their faces. Because it was a Tuesday, the five friends had time to return to their dormitories and clean themselves off before going to their next class. Noah and Hana separated from the other three and headed up to Ravenclaw Tower. They stank up the Common Room as they passed through it, and took turns in the bathroom to remove the dung stench from their skin and to switch their uniform for a clean one.

Hana headed down to Potions class without Noah, who was headed to his own class and made it on time with seconds to spare before Slughorn declared her late. She sat down next to Severus, who looked up from his textbook and at her frazzled self, and pulled out her supplies just as Slughorn shut the classroom's door.

"Cutting it close again," Severus commented barely above a whisper.  
"Hey, I had a lump of dragon dung in my hair that James tossed at me," Hana whispered. "Did you want to have a look at it during class?"

Severus rolled his eyes and concentrated back on Slughorn's instructions. Hana listened, her eyes down on her textbook, refusing to look at the man's moustache squirm on his face. He was explaining the complexities of the Wiggenweld potion, and Hana was getting bored. She'd read this a million times during the summer, all she wanted to do was to start brewing it. However, when his instructions were done, he skipped on to the properties of Wiggentree bark. 

"Excuse me, professor," Hana said without raising her hand.

Slughorn looked irked for a moment but smiled a moment after when he saw it was Hana that had spoken. Of course, a favoured student would never be reprimanded for speaking out of turn.

"Yes, Miss Yukimura?"  
"Aren't we going to brew the Wiggenweld potion?"  
"Merlin's beard, no!" he said jovially. "It might have escaped your brilliant mind, my dear, but not everyone would be capable of brewing such an intricate potion. There are so many steps and variances to take into account."

Hana sighed, and Slughorn went back to his theory on Wiggentree bark. Instead of brewing a potion related to the theory he was giving, Slughorn decided to make the class brew a Fire-Protection potion, much to Hana's annoyance. Not only was she not going to be brewing a potion she'd extensively studied at home, but Slughorn had somehow managed to insult every single person in the room with just one sentence. This man was supposed to be a teacher, and he was nonchalantly saying that only _one_ student in this class was competent enough to his liking. Hana thought it'd be almost better if he hated everyone - then at least it'd be just.

"It's praise, why are you so mad?" Severus whispered.  
"It is not praise if he cannot give it to others," Hana said, leaning back into her chair. "It is preferential treatment, and I do not want it. _Kare wa tada o shiri name bakadesu._ "  
"He's an idiot, yes."

Hana turned to Severus, an eyebrow raised.

"Are you picking up my Japanese?"  
"You talk too much."  
"Shut up."

A small smirk reached the corners of Severus' mouth, and Hana playfully jabbed his shoulder before getting up to grab their ingredients for the potion-making process. Severus sliced the mushrooms, and Hana ground the Wartcap into a fine powder with a vigour that both scared and amazed Slughorn.

"You're scaring him," Severus said, nodding over to the teacher.  
"Good. Maybe he'll back off."  
"No, he looks impressed too."  
"Ah, _kuso_."  
"You know you don't have to grind them that hard. Wartcaps are pretty soft."  
"Yeah, I know. I'm just so used to the motion, I did it naturally," Hana said, a little embarrassed. "Before we got an automated mill, my mother and I used to grind rice and grains by hand to make flour."  
"Couldn't you have done it with magic?"  
"Yes, well, we lived in a Muggle village. If we had an inhuman amount of rice and flour, it'd look suspicious."

Severus hummed. It was a sound that Hana still had no idea what it meant, and moved on to measuring two equal portions of salamander blood, both of which were more than necessary for the textbook's instructions. Hana prepped both cauldrons with a fair amount of base liquid and a few measures of standard ingredient and heated it until the mix was the right colour and temperature. Severus added a few sliced pieces of mushroom to each.

"What colour do we want this?" Hana asked, giving Severus a stirring stick.  
"Royal blue."  
"Do you think they mean the dark kind?"  
"Most likely, considering the base is fairly dark."

Hana nodded, and they both stirred their potions clockwise until it turned a dark blue. They continued adding and stirring and waiting together, working in sync to make their potions simultaneously. Once in a while, Hana mixed both potions and Severus made notes in his textbook, which Hana copied down after when Severus took over the stirring of both potions. She jotted down words that Severus couldn't read and a few arrows pointing to various places on the page, she crossed out several things in the instructions and wrote between the lines in characters so small even Noah would have trouble reading. She asked him a question before writing down his answer, and it was nice that he gave her a straight answer immediately. While it was just her and Severus, she didn't miss her other friends or wish someone else was there with them. Making a potion in near-complete silence with a partner that knew what he was doing was peaceful and... familiar.

"Would you quit smiling and take your stick back? My left arm is going dead."  
"Oh, right, _gomen'nasai_!" Hana said with a chuckle.  
"What were you smiling about anyway?" Severus asked, confused.  
"Nothing, I was just thinking."

A smile reached Hana's mouth again, but it was wistful, almost sad. Then, as soon as Severus had seen it, it disappeared, replaced by a tremendous goofy grin that couldn't have seemed more disingenuine.

"You worried about me, little man?"  
"I'm taller than you, Yukimura."

Hana laughed lightly and went back to her potion as if nothing ever happened, but Severus couldn't help but notice the slight tremor in her left hand. She kept unconsciously flexing her fingers until the shake disappeared near the end of the class. As usual, Severus and Hana produced exceptional potions and put them in several vials for grading. Hana kept a sample of her own, like she did with all her other successful potions, and stuffed into her potions kit. 

With their station cleaned up, Hana and Severus made their way to the Great Hall for the Hallowe'en feast. The entire school had been decorated with the usual live bats, huge pumpkins had been carved into lanterns large enough for three people to sit in, and there were rumours that the Headmaster had booked a troupe of dancing skeletons as entertainment for the night. Hana would always be fascinated by Hallowe'en and by all the festooned tables of candy-filled pumpkins, caramel apples, black cauldrons of big lollipops, chocolate bats and goblets filled with coloured candy. Back in Japan, there was no such thing; October 31st was just another day.

Severus and Hana parted at the entrance and headed to their respective tables. Dumbledore made a speech about Hallowe'en and the ghosts of Hogwarts, at which point all the schools' ghosts rushed out of the walls in formation, forming strange patterns in the air. Even Peeves joined in, but he ruined it all when the food appeared on the tables by swooping down and tossing up the plates of mashed potatoes on each table. One of them landed right next to Hana and exploded on five students, most of them girls who screeched when the potato landed on them.

"You've got mash in your hair."

Hana laughed as Noah plucked out a chunk of mashed potato and flicked it away. It landed on Xenophilius a few seats away, but no one ever noticed. Everyone stuffed themselves with food and desserts and candies until they were nearly about to explode, and then they all left the Great Hall quite satisfied with themselves. Hana waved over to Lily and the boys and found Severus in the crowd too, but he wasn't paying attention. 

Hana and Noah broke off from the crowd of students and ducked behind a tapestry on the third floor. They'd discovered this shortcut to the fifth-floor corridor last year when coming out of Charms class. Noah had something in his shoe and leaned against a tapestry, but instead of having his weight supported, he fell right through and onto a flight of steps. As they climbed up the two-storey staircase, Hana wondered how may other hidden stairs there were, but then her mind when someplace completely different.

"Hey, why's a raven like a writing desk?"  
"Hana, I'm going into a food coma," Noah chuckled. "I can't even think."  
"Come on," Hana whined.   
" _Hǎo ba, hǎo ba_... Edgar Allan Poe wrote on both?"  
"That is a vastly better answer than mine."  
"Is it now?" Noah said, surprised.  
" _Ā, tashikani_ ," Hana laughed. "I was going to say that you shouldn't shove either up your arse."

Noah snorted and burst out laughing immediately. He smacked Hana on the shoulder, who began giggling as well. But something caught her eye. There was a gentle cloud of white vapour coming from her mouth, and the further up they went, the denser it seemed to get. Just before they reached the top of the staircase, Hana felt cold. She turned to Noah, and by the look on his face, she knew that he could feel it too. When they emerged from behind the tapestry at the top of the stairs, the cold intensified, almost unnaturally.

" _Nani ga okotte iru_?"1 Hana whispered.

The corridor was empty at first glance, and there was almost a blue tinge to the walls. Frost was creeping on the walls and the floors, and the cold intensified the further down they went. They went past the entrance to the spiral staircase that led to their common room and continued going around a corner. Noah pushed Hana back, and they ducked behind the corner. 

" _Tā shì shénme_?"2  
" _Nà li yǒurén_."3

Noah and Hana peeked around the corner. There was a bright blue glow in the hall, and the chill intensified on her face when she faced the light. Near the end of the hall, someone was there, on the ground as if they'd just fallen. When they stood to dust themselves off, Hana tried to make them out, but she couldn't see well at this distance. What Hana _could_ see though, was that they were coming this way, and she and Noah had literally nowhere to hide. They both scrambled back, probably making a hell of a lot of noise in the process, and ran up the stairs to their common room.

"I feel like I'm in a horror movie," Noah said. "Do you think that was a Ravenclaw student and they're going to murder us in our sleep?"  
" _Baka_ ," Hana sighed, smacking Noah on the arm. "We're not going to get murdered."  
"Good. My mother would kill me."

Hana rolled her eyes.

"Seriously though, what was that?" she asked, curious. "It was so cold - and it's not even winter yet. And that blue glow? Who the hell was th--"  
"Hana. I love your brain, but can it focus on the knocker's riddle for now?"  
"Yeah, yeah."  
"Trust me. I'll help you get to the bottom of this tomorrow."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: What is going on?  
> 2: What is it?  
> 3: There's someone there.


	28. Hebunrēsā

"We can't tell anyone."  
"What! Why not?"  
"Hana, if we go around telling people that the fifth-floor corridor was a literal freezer last night, that some student was there and probably caused it, _and_ that we're investigating it--"  
" _Hai_ , _hai_. But you agreed to help me anyway."  
"And I will, Hana. So long as this doesn't get in the way of my studying. Do you _know_ how much homework I've been putting off for this class?"  
"You're lucky Binns is dead."

Hana and Noah laughed. They were on their way to History of Magic, as per their usual Wednesday routine. The only difference was that this morning was plagued with thoughts and discussions of the events of last night. Hana felt somewhat funny, a little excited even, talking about these things in a hushed voice. It was sort of clandestine, really, and it made her History of Magic morning much more interesting. 

They met Lily along the way, and thank Merlin they were early. Books occupied some more desks for some reason, and all three of them were too lazy to move them. They claimed the seats at the back so that they could chat and compare notes without Binns noticing and began reading the material for the class so that they didn't have to even listen to the teacher talk at all. This was the only way to survive a History of Magic class according to Hana.

After nearly falling asleep just like Binns about halfway through the class, Hana and Lily parted ways with Noah on their way to Charms class. This was the only class that Hana had without any boys, and Merlin's beard was she happy to have it. They sat near the front, eager to learn (and secretly to show an extra bit of interest in her Head of House's class on Hana's part), and listened to the instructions that Flitwick was giving on the Fire-Making Spell. That was the case until Hana felt a gentle nudge on her elbow and looked down to find a note. Lily was trying to play it off, but it was clear she wanted it to be read now. With a furtive glance at the professor, Hana unfolded the piece of parchment.

_I know we should be paying attention, but I need your opinion on something._

Hana furrowed her eyebrows and grabbed her quill. She scribbled down a response and subtly passed the paper over to Lily, who scribbled down something else and passed it back.

_It's about Severus. Have you noticed anything strange lately?_

The Ravenclaw's mind flashed back to a few days ago when Severus was reading an entire pile of illegally obtained books. She shrugged, thinking nothing of it - Severus was in the habit of doing strange things for knowledge. Just last week he spent an entire day in Moaning Myrtle's abandoned bathroom testing out a theory for a potion. However, James and Sirius _did_ mention something about him making odd friends. Hana wrote nothing of the books but mentioned what the boys said, as well as her opinion of the thought being irrelevant because they hated Severus and would do anything to incriminate him.

Lily took her time reading, sighed, and then wrote something down. She passed it over after glancing at Flitwick.

_I hate to say this, but I think those idiots might be right._

Hana gave Lily a confused look, and she tore off another small bit of parchment. She spent some time writing down on it and then finally slid it over for Hana to read. But before she could read it, Flitwick whisked it away and tossed it into the trash can. There was a light warning, and then Lily and Hana remained silent for the rest of the class. On their way to lunch, however, Lily had lots to say.

"He's started sitting with these nasty looking people during meals," she said. "They're a bit older. Oh, and I know for a fact that a couple of them have been bullying Mary MacDonald and her friends, that and some first years."  
"You're probably talking about that _bakageta ko_ , Mulciber," Hana said with a sigh.  
"Yeah, that's the one!"  
"Well, I don't think Mulciber is all that important. Severus left right in his face when he was rude to me."  
"Really?" Lily said, genuinely surprised.  
" _Hai, hai_. So I wouldn't worry much," Hana said, absentmindedly waving her hand around. "Besides, I'm friends with idiots James Potter and Sirius Black, and I don't see you worrying about me."  
"Well, yeah, but they just pull pranks on people. Scare a few first years."  
"They also pick on Severus whenever they have the chance."  
"Oh, quit being so reasonable."

Hana smiled and rolled her eyes. Lily took a deep breath and nodded once, agreeing that she was probably overreacting. After all, if Severus still chose to be friends with her, did it really matter what other friends he had?

The two girls split up at the entrance to the Great Hall and went to their respective tables for lunch. Noah was sitting with a small crowd of people, but when Hana went by she grabbed him by his robes and pulled him up to the edge of the table, leaving his plate full of food behind. 

" _Ā, monku o iu no o yamete kudasai_ ,"1 Hana sighed. "You can make yourself a new plate."  
"Ah, but the gravy had perfectly soaked into the potatoes - now I have to wait again," Noah whined.  
"Well, I have a lot to say so you can make your gravy potatoes, no problem."  
" _Tài bàngle_."2

Hana and Noah sat down at the end of the Ravenclaw table, and they piled on various foods in their plates before Hana began speaking. 

"We need to do research."  
"Research?" Noah said, a forkful of peas in his mouth.   
"Yes, Noah, Research," Hana said impatiently. "For the freezer we walked into yesterday?"  
"Oh, you're still on about that? I thought you'd forgotten by now."  
"Noah, I can still remember how you fell through that _tapesutorī_ last year."

The boy rolled his eyes.

"We need to know how the corridor turned into a freezer, okay?" Hana reasoned. "What if it spreads? It could go straight up to our Common Room - everyone else's Common Room. Maybe even the kitchens. Think of your gravy."  
"I do have to admit that that is a deciding factor," Noah said, pouring another layer of gravy onto his potatoes.  
"Tomorrow morning--"  
"Morning? Hana, we have Astronomy at midnight."  
"Yes, well," Hana began, stuffing her last bit of food in her mouth, "while you enjoy your _amai suimin 3_, I will be slaving away in the library."  
"Please, you love research," Noah scoffed.  
"Indeed, I do."

Hana chugged a glass of pumpkin juice, took a pasty from one of the plates on the table and stuffed in her mouth, and stood up suddenly. Noah slowly looked up at her, seemingly unsurprised by this behaviour. She removed the pasty from her mouth and gathered her backpack.

"But first - Hooch!"  
"Hooch?"  
"I need a broom, don't I?"

Noah made an expression of realisation and wished Hana good luck as she left the Great Hall, pasty in her mouth and bag jumping on her back. She ducked through the crowd heading towards their classes and headed out beyond the courtyard to the training grounds, where Madam Hooch was training a class of first years Hufflepuffs and Gryffindors. In the distance, she spotted Peter, but before Hana could even think of going over to say hello, Madam Hooch was right on her heels. 

"What can I do for you, Miss Yukimura?" she said curtly. "I hope it's worth disrupting my class."  
"Well, I need a form to register a broom that I want to buy," Hana said. "I figured I'd go as soon as I thought of it, so I didn't forget. I apologise for disturbing you."  
"Oh, anything for Quidditch." The drastic change in the woman's behaviour nearly scared Hana. "I'll be right over with that form. Keep an eye on them, would you?"

Hana nodded and gave Hooch a short bow for thanks before the woman stalked off to get the required form. Hana turned around and headed towards the small crowd of first years, watching them succeed and fail in hovering on their brooms. 

"Hello, Peter."

The boy nearly fell off his broom, frightened when Hana spoke. The girl had to stifle a laugh.

"Oh, h-hi H-Hana," Peter stuttered. "What're you doing h-here?"  
"Getting a form from Madam Hooch. I finally decided what broom to get myself."  
"Really? Did you listen to James' s-suggestion?"  
"Not at all," Hana chuckled. "I won't be caught dead on an American broom."

She mentally thanked Severus for that.

"Well, I doubt you'll be better than James o-out o-on the pitch."  
"Oh, really?" Hana laughed. "We'll just see about that."  
"Ms Yukimura!"

Hana turned around swiftly to face Madam Hooch. Her speed was impressive.

"The forms. Fill them out and send them to my office. You can purchase your broom any time after that."  
"Thank you, Madam," Hana said, bowing slightly.

She turned to Peter and waved, and when he waved back, Hana dashed off back towards the castle. The second the first hard surface was in sight, Hana swung her backpack off her shoulders and yanked out a quill and some ink from its depths. She set the form on the small parapet wall and began scribbling down words, hunched over like she was about to break in half, eyes squinting.

" _Kuso, megane ga hitsuyōdesu..._ "4  
"You look ridiculous."  
" _Damare_ , Sirius - I'm trying to focus here."  
"Oi, is it weird that she recognises our voices this easily?"  
"Not when you're the only ones who sound this dimwitted, James Potter."

There were a few vague protests, up until Remus came over and offered his back as a writing surface. Hana thanked him and straightened herself, then finished her paperwork and sent it off to Hooch's office.

"What was that for anyway?" James asked.  
"Broom permit," Hana said simply, stuffing her things back into her bag. She began rummaging for something else and eventually pulled out a small catalogue. "I'm going to get myself a decent broom to beat you at Quidditch."  
"Fat chance of that, Snowflake," Sirius barked. "James here is the best Chaser there is."  
"Doubtful. He's only a second year, and others have far more experience then he does. I'm hoping to breach the gap by getting myself a proper racing broom. You know, until I can have both the broom _and_ the talent."  
"Ouch," Remus chuckled.  
"You gonna get the American broom I suggested?" James asked, poking his nose over Hana's shoulder. "The hell is this?"  
"Japanese. And no, I'm not getting a _gaijin_ broom - I'm getting one from home."  
"A Japanese broom? Well, that's a laugh," Sirius chuckled.  
"No, no, it makes sense," James said, quite seriously. "Brooms think, kind of like wands. A Japanese broom would do her some good, actually. Fine choice."

Hana chuckled as she unfolded the catalogue. If only James and Severus could have heard each other.

"I think this is the one," Hana said to James, pointing at a dark cherry-wood broomstick. "The _Hebunrēsā_. Anti-slip handle, cherry-wood frame, cushioning charmed--"  
"Oh, that's good. Your arse won't feel like its been kicked by a horse," Sirius said, poking his head over Hana's other shoulder.  
"And the tail is tapered for better... what the word for _kūryoku_?" Hana muttered. "Oh, aerodynamics. Better aerodynamics."  
"That's a thing of beauty," James said. "Wish I could get a broom."  
"You can't get one?" Hana asked, pulling out a short roll of parchment and her inkwell and quill (again).  
"No, my mother insists it's too dangerous. I can only get one next year - and that's if I've proven myself reliable."  
"We all know how that's going to go," Remus laughed. "'Yes, mum, I'm safe on a broom all right! I've only run over five Muggles this month."  
"Oi, shut it, man!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Oh, stop complaining.  
> 2: Awesome.  
> 3: sweet slumber  
> 4: Damn, I need glasses.


	29. Hogwarts, a History

Hana awoke to the steady patter of rain upon her window, and Haru was rubbing his furry face on her own. She gently pushed his head away, earning her a disgruntled meow. He jumped off the bed and skirted off outside the dorm room, leaving Hana with her eyes wide open and staring at the ceiling. The stars rearranged themselves and told the time, which made Hana groan. Why was it she'd sacrificed another two hours of sleep again? 

With a sigh, Hana turned and swung her legs off the side of the bed. The cold floors on her feet made her entire body shiver, but she endured it all the way to the bathroom to take a warm shower. Hana emerged clean and dressed, her hair still wet, and went over to her mother's shrine. Her knees cracked as she knelt, but she paid them no mind as she pulled out her wand to light the candles around the picture of her mother. Hana muttered a few words and bowed to the shrine before standing up, and heading down the dark halls of a sleeping castle. 

The fifth-floor corridor was cold, and more so than it was when she and Noah had found that suspicious person lurking around there the other night. Hana could see her breath as she was heading to her secret passageway down to the third floor. It reminded her that she and Noah hadn't _actually_ gone all the way to where the mystery person had been standing. She halted and spun on her feet, then jogged back. A few meters past the stairs up to the Ravenclaw was the place in question, and Hana couldn't believe her eyes. In the span of just a few days, what had once been a little bit of frost crawling on the floors and walls were now large ice crystals the size of quaffles. Most of them were concentrated behind a large painting of a sleeping hermit, and when Hana approached them, they multiplied, spreading like a fungus. They caught the corner of Hana's cloak, and she looked at it curiously. However, she jumped back when the small crystals began to spread much faster than the ones on the walls and floors. 

" _Ā, kuso!_ "

Startled, Hana pulled off her cloak and tossed it to the ground. Within seconds, the ice had spread over the entirety of her cloak and merged with the other quaffle-sized ice crystals. Rubbing her arms to warm herself up, Hana watched the process with wide eyes, and nearly went in for a closer look before she remembered what had just occurred. Instead, she took a few steps back and with one last glance and a shiver, she turned away and resumed her walk to the library. 

Madam Pince was dusting the plaque at the entrance of the library when Hana arrived, and she made a fuss about having to read the plate every single time someone entered. So, Hana begrudgingly read the plate in front of Madam Pince and then went inside the library. She paused in front of the rows of books, racking her brain as to where she should look first. With a sigh, Hana went over to the reference section and pulled out everything she could find that was ice-related, curse-related, and even corridor-related then slammed all of the books onto the table and got to reading.

She read through Herbology books about water plants and plants that could survive in ice before tossing them onto the book trolley for Pince to sort herself. Hana went through _Charms of Defence and Deterrence_ and _Extreme Incantations_ in the hopes that she'd find out that the ice was some kind of defence mechanism of some sort - but no luck. She chucked those onto the trolley as well and watched Pince grumble as she took them away. Then the Ravenclaw moved on to books that dealt with transfiguration. Still, there was nothing about stone walls turning to ice crystals the size of quaffles or them spreading like fungus, and there wasn't even anything in Argo Pyrite's _Alchemy, Ancient Art and Science_ to help her with the transmutation of ice either. 

Hana sighed. So far there wasn't a single book that had helped her, and even though she'd read a lot of fascinating things about herbology and the transfiguration of Yorkies into yo-yos, nothing was about ice or the seemingly magical spreading of it in a school corridor. Pince was just about fuming at the sight of her tossing the rest of her books onto the trolley and going back to the shelves for more. This time, Hana was focused on the historical section, picking up books like _A History of Magic, Hogwarts a History_ and _Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes_ to read and scour for any sort of information. She tossed _A History of Magic_ and _Olde and Forgotten Bewitchments and Charmes_ onto the trolley after glancing at a few pages, which made Pince shout at her, but she paid her no mind and dove into the final book. Hana's eyes scanned every section of the book, and finally, she came upon a _myths_ section which lit up her eyes.

Hana read through the chapter titles, and then through the sections that seemed important or at least potentially. _Locked Rooms No One Tells You About._ _Chamber of Secrets._ _Secret Passageways For the Savvy Student._ Then something caught her eye—Cursed _Vaults._ The ice on the fifth-floor would definitely qualify as cursed considering how fast it spread. Hana rapidly flipped through the pages of the tome until the first words of the section came up, and she read with avid interest. 

> _The legend of the Cursed Vaults is one of the most enigmatic of all tales concerning Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. When the four greatest witches and wizards of their age, Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw and Salazar Slytherin, came together to establish a school for those with magical abilities, it was logical that they chose a location far away from the eyes of non-magical people due to the climate of persecution prevalent at the time. However, records show that it is still unknown why the Hogwarts founders chose this specific location.  
>  One version of the legend describes a need to contain something that resided on the very land, and it was through the creation of several Cursed Vaults that the founders managed to keep it safe - or the students safe. Others tell of a paranoid Headmaster, who sought to keep power out of the wrong hands or to keep it all for himself. One thing is for sure, is that the existence of these vaults is still debated to this day. Some students that have endeavoured to find them swear to their existence, while others believe that they are simply fables.  
> After many extensive searches of Hogwarts over the past nine hundred and fifty years, most reputable scholars agree that the existence of these Cursed Vaults is a fanciful tale concocted by conspiracy theorists or even said paranoid Headmaster and his supporters. While researching this book, however, the author consulted the newly appointed Headmaster of Hogwarts, Professor Albus Dumbledore, who stated that during his time at the school, while he and his students had never had an encounter with a Cursed Vault themselves, many reports of curses, odd incidences and dark creatures roaming the castle _did _occur whilst someone spoke of investigating the Cursed Vaults. Professor Albus Dumbledore maintains that this too, however, could simply be students misbehaving or playing practical jokes on their teachers or fellow schoolmates._

Hana slammed the book shut and leaned back in her seat, ignoring Madam Pince who was shushing her. The sun was finally up in the sky, and some of the first students who'd finished their breakfast entered the library. They too were disturbed by the sound, but simply looked at Hana strangely and moved on, until Hana stood up rather abruptly, looking like a mess. Her hair wasn't tied up properly, her tie was crooked, her cloak was nowhere to be found, and the look in her eye was that of panic, something that made the students entering the library part like Moses parted water as Hana dashed to the checkout counter. Pince lectured her about the mistreatment of books as she registered _Hogwarts, A History_ , but as soon as the process was done, Hana ran out the door. 

The Great Hall was still filled with students peacefully eating their breakfast when Hana bolted inside. Several teachers looked up and rolled their eyes - since this was not an unusual occurrence for Hana Yukimura - and some students looked away from their friends and their food to complain about the girl running through the rows. In a flash, Hana reached the Ravenclaw table, and she pushed a first-year aside to sit next to Noah, who was peacefully eating his oatmeal.

" _Wakatta_ , Noah! _Wakatta_!"

Noah jumped and spat out a spoonful of oatmeal onto the person sitting across from him. Hana quickly apologised on his behalf, then turned back to Noah. He sighed, wiped his mouth, and looked at his friend. 

"You look like hell," he said.  
"Your concern is duly noted," Hana sighed. "But again, I got it."  
"Dark circles?"  
"Noah!"

The boy chuckled and continued eating his breakfast, gesturing for Hana to keep talking. She looked around and then lowered her voice, making sure no one could hear her enough to make out complete sentences.

"So, I was in the library - and honestly I don't know if Pince will ever let me back in - but I went through 23 different books until I found this."

Hana opened the book at the right page and read from it. Noah became gradually more interested until he was fully turned towards Hana, his oatmeal left forgotten.

"Are you sure that's what it is?" he said, amazed.  
"What else could it be? Dumbledore said it himself - stuff goes weird when the Cursed Vaults are involved," Hana stated. "And this weird magical ice is definitely odd."

As if on cue, Dumbledore rose from his seat and gently tapped his goblet with a spoon. The clear sound reverberated throughout the Great Hall and everyone silenced themselves almost instantly. The usual gleam in his eyes seemed to be dimmer than usual, and that made Hana worry.

"Good morning, everyone, good morning," he said gently. "I apologise for disturbing you during your breakfast, but a few members of the staff have brought something to my attention, and it would seem unwise to keep it from you."

A few whispers rose in the silence.

"Ravenclaw and Gryffindor students might have noticed, but the fifth-floor corridor that connects both Common Rooms has been afflicted with cursed ice. Since Hallowe'en, it has spread several feet, and I fear that it will continue until we have found a solution to stop it. I must insist that you do not go near it or touch it, or even attempt to destroy it.   
"I have also been told that a student was seen at the scene at the moment of the ice's appearance. Should anyone have any information regarding the identity of this individual, I urge you to speak to a member of the staff. However, it would be best that this person come forward themselves as to avoid any repercussions to themselves - and this before anyone gets hurt."


	30. Silver and Green

"Synonyms are weird."  
"What are you going on about, Snowflake?"  
"Think about it. If you invite someone to your cottage in the forest, then that just sounds nice and cosy, but if I invite you to my cabin in the woods, then you're absolutely going to die."  
"It's called connotation."  
"Thank you, Professor Lupin."  
"Oh, what about 'forgive me father, for I have sinned' and 'sorry daddy, I've been naughty.'"  
"All right! Everyone shut up - language is cancelled!"

It was Saturday, on the first weekend of November, and Hana didn't have Quidditch practice for once because today was the first Quidditch match of the season. James was clad in his bright red uniform, laughing his face off at Hana and Sirius' antics, while Remus shielded Peter's ears from the obscenities coming from their mouths. A gentle snowfall was slowly covering the grounds of Hogwarts and the castle, and while it was cold enough for it to drift from the clouds, it melted underfoot and left prints behind the five friends. As they all made their way towards the pitch, Hana enjoyed the sight of the snowflakes caught in Remus' eyelashes, in Sirius' pitch-black hair, on the fabric of her blue tweed coat.

"Oi, where's Xiang?" James asked. "He better not miss my first match."  
"He's already at the pitch - something about doing someone a favour," Hana said, brushing snow off the top of Peter's head. "You ready to lose, Wonder Boy?"  
"Excuse me - we're playing Slytherin, Snowflake," Sirius said in mock outrage. "You're obligated to root for us."  
"I'll root for whatever team plays better. Last year, Slytherin overtook everyone - I'm expecting the same outcome. Of course, that's until Ravenclaw plays them and we break their winning streak."  
"So cold," Remus sighed, smiling.  
"Y-Yeah come on, H-Hana!" Peter exclaimed. "Y-You gotta r-root for us!"

Hana chuckled and ruffled Peter's hair.

"I wish you luck, but that is the extent of my support, my friends. Well, unless Wonder Boy can make Gryffindor win for once."

James playfully shoved her and Hana pushed him back. This persisted all the way to the pitch, and Sirius even joined in on the tackling until James accidentally shoved him into a group of sixth-year girls heading in the same direction. He quickly apologised, smiling effortlessly, and pushed James into the changing rooms as they passed by. Hana heard a crash, and a few swear words, and she dashed off with Sirius to avoid any repercussions. 

Hana, Sirius, Remus and Peter went up the stands and found the best spot they could yank first years out of, then took out their wands to paint red and gold on their faces. They made ridiculous designs on their faces, and Sirius even drew a golden moustache under Remus' nose. Hana wiped off the red and gold swirls on the left side of her face and replaced them with shimmering silver and green ones much to Sirius and Peter's discontent, but she just stuck her tongue out at them and paid them no mind. 

Madam Hooch was already on the pitch, placing the trunk with the quaffle, bludgers and the golden snitch inside in the middle of the stadium. Then, all of a sudden, Hana realised what this favour Noah spoke of was. Through the speakers came the unmistakable voice of her best friend as he began the announcement of the game.

" _Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' first Quidditch game of the season! Today's game: Slytherin versus Gryffindor!_ "

All the students cheered in unison. Sirius and Hana jumped up and down on the spot, chanting James' name as he and the other Gryffindors flew out of their ready room alongside the Slytherin team. After a short flight around the pitch, all the players take their positions above Madam Hooch.

" _The players take their positions as Madam Hooch steps out onto the field to begin the game._ "

Madam Hooch said something to the players and then kicked the trunk. Immediately, the bludgers flew out like their usual angry selves. The golden snitch followed seconds after, and Hana watched it zoom across the pitch like she was the one playing to win. Then, Hooch grabbed the quaffle, and with a blow of her whistle she tossed it up into the air, and the game had begun. 

" _The Quaffle is released... and the game begins! Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game!_ "

Hana watched the snitch fly around the Gryffindor seeker's head until the quaffle was tossed up and was in motion. Slytherin took possession of it first and their three Chasers, Emma Vanity, Orion Harper and Leavana Kestrel, bolted off towards the Gryffindor goal posts. James and the other two Chasers on his team, George Campbell and Ciara Foster, follows them at their heels. They weren't fast enough - Harper got to the goalposts first and tossed it through one of the hoops, scoring against the Gryffindor within the first five minutes of the game. Hana nearly cheered, but she caught herself just as Sirius, Peter and Remus complained.

" _Orion Harper scores! Ten points to Slytherin!_ " Noah called over the stadium.

Suddenly, a bludger zoomed past Hana's head and then flew back towards the pitch, nearly hitting one of the Slytherin Chasers. If there was one thing Hana couldn't criticise the Gryffindor team about were their two Beaters, Fabian Prewett and Eldridge Highmore - Hana had seen them literally take people out of the game on several occasions. 

This gave Gryffindor the chance to take possession of the quaffle - and they did. James grabbed hold of it from his Captain and Keeper, Natalie Holkam, and dashed off towards the centre of the pitch. He passed the quaffle over Kestrel, and Campbell caught it, dashing off towards the left to avoid a bludger from Helion Tempest and Emlyn Stocker. He then passed it to Foster who caught it easily but ended up having to toss it back to James when Harper and Vanity slammed on either side of her. Disoriented, Foster didn't dodge the bludger that came from Stocker, and she went down and fell with a thump. 

The Gryffindors in the stands booed loudly, but the sound was soon replaced with cheers as James scored ten points for his team. Hana cheered this time, jumping and chanting James' name and jumping excitedly alongside her three friends.

" _And that's a goal by my boy Potter! Ten points to Gryffindor!_ " Noah called over the pitch.

Moments later, Foster back up and flying again unscathed. Both teams scored equally for over a half-hour, and not once did either Seeker make a move to find the Snitch. To be fair, Hana hadn't seen it for a while either, and she wondered if the snitch had actually left the stadium. The score was now 40-30 with Gryffindor in the lead, and James was in possession of the quaffle. He narrowly dodged a bludger from Tempest, sticking his tongue out at him for missing. He then tossed the quaffle behind him, and Foster caught it, swerving off to the right to go through the barrage of Slytherin Chasers. At the very last second, she tossed it back to James, who tossed it towards the Slytherin goal posts. A loud ding was heard - James had scored.

" _That's another ten points to Gryffindor!_ " Noah called. " _The score is now 50-30 for Gryffin-- Oh, the Slytherin Seeker is making a move!_ "

Maud Blankly leaned to the left and dashed off. Hana's eyes followed her and then went ahead to find the Snitch gleaming in mid-air. It was stationary, but not for long. The second that Maud got close it darted to the right and zoomed around in an apparently random trajectory. The Gryffindor Seeker, Richard Carter, bolted as well, soon coming side by side with Blankly. They pushed each other and struggled to get ahead until Carter veered off and smashed into the Slytherin Chaser, sending her entirely off course. He cursed something at her and accelerated towards the snitch. Just as his fingers were about to clasp themselves around the snitch, a bludger smashed him in the shoulder. He lurched forward and fell off his broom, but caught himself at the last minute. With a smile of his face and one hand hanging onto his broom, Hana watched Carter hold out his hand.

" _Ā! Kare wa sore o tsukamaeta! Kare wa sore o tsukamaeta!_ " she shouted happily.

As Sirius, Peter and Remus all turned with questions about what she'd said, Noah announced the same thing in English.

" _He's got it! He's got the snitch! Richard Carter catches the golden snitch and earns 150 points and the first win of the season for Gryffindor!_ "

The Gryffindors cheered happily, and the sounds were deafening. Hana, Sirius, Peter and Remus all chanted James' name in celebration, and he flew up to give each of his friends a high five before swooping down to Madam Hooch and the rest of his teammates. The Slytherins nearby were all grumbling, angrily tossing their flags to the ground and shouting insults to no one in particular. Still, all the Gryffindors were jumping for joy, screaming their team's name or cheering on their favourite player. Even Hana, who technically was against Gryffindor, cheered as loudly as she could - her friend mattered more than some team rivalry.

Hana, Sirius, Remus and Peter went to tackle James when he got out of the changing rooms. Sirius and Remus tossed him up onto their shoulders and carried him to the castle, chanting Potter! Potter!" all the way. Peter followed eagerly beside them, waving his little flags and Hana went ahead, dramatically announcing the presence of the new best of Gryffindor with Noah who had joined them on their way up- something she'd come to regret later when it all went to his head. When they got into the castle, one of the staff members demanded that James be put on the ground, but no one heard them as the cheering was still going on. The six friends joined in with the rest of the Gryffindors heading up to their tower, and Hana let them lead, heading towards the back of the pack with Noah.

At the entrance, someone shouted the password to get in, which Hana had no idea how the Fat Lady managed to hear over all the ruckus. The large group of Gryffindors went in first, and then Sirius and Remus with James on their shoulders, and Peter went in as well. Noah went through a few Gryffindor to get into their Common Room, and as Hana was about to do the same, someone caught her on the shoulder and pushed her back. 

"You can't be in there," said a rather large Gryffindor.  
"I've been in there before. Besides, all my friends are already inside," Hana said, furrowing her eyebrows.   
"I said you couldn't be in here."  
"Well, why not?"

The Gryffindor brushed something off of Hana's cheek.

"Silver and green."

He wiped the silver and green paint on Hana's robes and went inside, shutting the portrait door behind him. Hana turned around, almost too slowly for it to be normal. She took a deep breath and sighed, then spotted Lily who'd likely seen everything unfold. Hana looked calm, but her brown eyes seemed too glossy for that to be true.

"Hana--"  
"I'll just leave."

And Hana did just that - leaving with her hand shaking and her eyes glossy with tears.


	31. Conversations

Hana looked up at the ceiling, and it was as if the muscles on her face had gone on strike. When the time changed and the ceiling indicated that she'd been lying there for several hours, nothing on her face moved an inch. She didn't even pet Haru, who was curled up by her side, making worried noises. Everything about her was slack, and it gave her the aura of one who would spurn even the most well-meaning attempts to strike up a conversation. At least, that's what Noah seemed to think. He was sitting on the edge of Hana's bed, out of breath after having run the entire way down from Gryffindor Tower, and was looking awfully worried. Her body was limp, and every time Noah looked over, it seemed that she'd sunk further down into the comforter.

"I'm going to ask you something that would sound insensitive to most people, but I think you'll understand," Noah said softly. "Why are you so affected by this?"

Hana's eyes went from the ceiling to Noah.

"Last time someone told you to piss off, you glared and calmly walked away. But you've been in a vegetative state for hours now, and you're - are you even breathing?"  
"Yes," Hana said quietly, her voice hoarse.  
"Okay. You're breathing, and you remember how to talk - that's a good start."

Hana gave Noah a disheartened smile and turned to face him on her side.

"I just..."

Hana cleared her throat and sighed. 

"I'll be fine. I just need to sulk a bit."  
" _Fèihuà_. Just tell me, Hana. I know you've got this tendency to bottle things up because you don't want to bother people with your problems, but the only problem I've got right now is that you're not talking to me. So, spit it out."  
" _Urusai_."

Noah smirked and swung his legs onto the bed. He lied down beside Hana with Haru in between them, petting the feline absent-mindedly.

"For years now... well, ever since my mother died, my father, he's been..."  
"An asshole, I know."  
" _Hai_ , but that's not what I was going to say."

Hana took a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

"Ever since my mother died, and I think even before that, my father has always been... distant, to say the least," Hana said quietly. "I don't remember him being at any of my birthdays, or any family celebrations, I don't remember doing... _anything_ with him when we lived in Japan. I've only got vague images of him. And honestly, I don't think they're good images.  
"Most of the memories I have of him are ones since we've been in England, and those memories - they're memories of his absence. He's never home when I am, he barely speaks to me even through letters, he refuses to look me in the eye when _I do_ see him. It's like I'm not there, that he doesn't want to see me, that I'm unwanted somehow.  
"I've been living like this for six years now, and I'm used to it - which is really sad now that I've said it out loud. But I'd always thought that this was something limited to home - that this feeling was only ever going to come from my father. I never... I never expected to get tossed aside here, to feel unwanted... and by people I know and appreciate? I just... I just never thought that I could experience this here... the only place in the world where people acknowledge my presence."

Hana's hand was shaking again, and it was already taking all her self-control not to break into ugly sobs, so the hand's tremor went unnoticed. Noah sighed sadly and moved Haru to the end of the bed. He meowed indignantly as Noah lay back down.

"I can't say it'll never happen again," he said softly, "but I can tell you that if it does ever happen again, I'll personally hex the one who's made you feel unwanted."

Hana chuckled lightly.

"That big Gryffindor? Yup, I'll hex him! Even your dad. I swear if I see that _Húndàn_ somewhere, I'll curse him. That thing with the slugs - we'll watch him burp them up all day, Hana. With popcorn."  
" _Anata wa bakadesu_ ," Hana said, smiling.  
"I may be an idiot, but at least you're smiling again," Noah said. "Feel better?"  
"I'll feel better when we've had supper. Peter ate all my snacks during the match, and that was meant to be my lunch."  
"You and your food."

Noah extended his arms to his friend. Hana sighed and rolled her eyes, but she scooted over and curled up in his side anyway.

"And don't worry," he whispered. "I won't tell anyone anything."  
"Thank you," Hana said with a small smile. "Now can you let go of me? Supper is in ten minutes."

With a laugh, Noah shoved Hana off the bed. She fell with a thump and rose with a look of mock-offence on her face. She whacked her friend with a pillow before dashing out of the room to escape him. They ran all the way down and barrelled through the common room, knocking people out of the way by accident. Hana called a few apologies over her shoulders but kept running down the stairs to avoid Noah as he attempted to hit her with the Tickling Charm. 

It wasn't until they were in the Great Hall that Hana stopped running and Noah stopped his threats. They side-stepped a few ghosts and were headed towards the Ravenclaw table ahead, but someone stopped her midway. It was Lily and Severus. So, instead of sitting at their respective tables, they joined Noah and Hana at their own. As they left, Hana turned to the Gryffindor table, intent on finding that boy who'd denied her entry into their common room - she was going to show him a piece of her mind. However, before she could move an inch, someone had grabbed her arm, effectively stopping her in her tracks.

"I'd have the greatest sympathy if you hexed him, Yukimura, but you _will_ get into trouble if you do it," Severus said.

Hana rolled her eyes and freed herself from him. 

"At least, if you do it here."  
"See, _t_ _his_ is why you're my friend, Severus."

Hana grinned at Severus, and then followed Lily and Noah to the Ravenclaw table, Severus at her heels. They all sat down for dinner, and Hana began piling things on her plate - much more than usual. Lily rose an eyebrow at her.

"Peter ate my snacks during the match," Hana provided as an answer.  
"He ate your lunch?"  
"Yes, well, I didn't stop him."

Lily smiled and shook her head, then served herself some soup.

"Hey, about what happened..."  
"It's fine, Lily. Severus and I will just jinx him later."  
"I said _you_ could - don't rope _me_ into this," Severus complained.

Hana stared at Lily, mouth full of mashed potatoes. She expected her to say something after a comment like that, but Lily stayed silent. Hana furrowed her eyebrows. 

"Lily?"  
"Well, I can't really say..."  
"Lily, you know _all_ the gossip," Noah said, serious.  
"Your idiot friends were furious," Lily said.

It was apparent she was referring to James, Sirius and Remus, and it would have made her happy to know they were furious for her mistreatment if she couldn't see the look on Lily's face.

"When I got into the common room after you left, they were yelling at Hamilton - the guy who didn't let you in."  
"I should hope so. What kind of friends would they be if they hadn't," Hana said.  
"Yes, well, it was all good until Hamilton started raving about the silver and green paint on your face."  
"Silver and green?" Severus asked, an eyebrow raised. "Is this really all about Quidditch?"  
"Of course," Hana said, rolling her eyes.   
"And you wore Slytherin's colours?"  
"Slytherin won last year, Severus - I expected the same outcome," Hana said as if it were obvious. She faced Lily again. "I just like Quidditch. Which team wins doesn't matter much to me unless my own is involved. Because trust me, Severus - we're going to win the Cup this year."  
"Doubtful," the boy scoffed.

Hana flicked a piece of corn at him.

"Honestly, you two!" Lily scolded. "Look, Hana, it doesn't matter what your Quidditch opinions are - all anyone heard in there was that you were wearing Slytherin's colours."

Hana glanced to Severus. He was poking at his shepherd's pie.

" _Mā, watashi wa ki ni shimasen_ ," she said, which made him raise his head. "I don't care."  
"But Hana--"  
"No, I don't care," Hana interrupted Noah. "I'm not going to hide that Severus is my friend, and I don't care if the whole of Gryffindor is out to get me for it."

The girl flexed her left hand, unconsciously trying to calm herself down. 

"What about James, Remus, Sirius and Peter?" Noah asked.  
"Friends don't stop liking each other for stupid things like that. But if they do, then so be it. I'm not going to stop being friends with Severus just because some _usugurai otokonoko wa ijime ni naritaidesu_."  
"Sorry, what?" Lily asked.  
"She's not going to stop being friends with Severus just because some _dimwitted little boys want to be bullies_ ," Noah said. "Did I get that right?"  
"Spot on."  
"Well, I'm happy to hear that," Lily said, beaming. "That puts you on the permanent friend list."  
"Oh, joy," Severus said, rolling his eyes.

Hana smiled at him, and he couldn't help but smirk a little bit in return. He flicked a bit of carrot at her to hide it, but Hana, Noah and Lily could tell that he was pleased that someone took his side for once.

"Speaking of permanent friends - are you doing anything for Christmas?" Lily asked.  
"Lily, Christmas is in a month."  
"Well, yes, but I figured if you sent a letter to your father a little early, he'd have time to answer."  
"Well, what did you have in mind? Because I don't--"  
"--want to impose, yeah, yeah," Noah interrupted. "Lily, if you've got a plan to invite her over to your place for the holidays, make sure it happens. I can't seem to convince this _báichī_."  
"No! Lily, come on, Christmas is a time for family - I'm sure you and your parents wouldn't want someone else butting in. Besides, your sister is a menace."  
"She is," Severus agreed.  
"Oh, and I promised James I'd help him babysit Sirius for the holidays and this summer."  
"Hana, they only said during the summer," Noah corrected.

Hana pulled a face at him, and Lily rolled her eyes.

"Hana Yukimura, you write a letter to your father telling him you're going to be with me on Christmas, or I swear to God I'll write it and send it myself."  
"Yes, ma'am," Hana said, surprised.   
"And what the hell do you mean, 'babysit' Sirius?"

Just as Hana was about to answer, someone called out to her.

"Oi, Snowflake!"

Hana's eyes closed instinctively. It wasn't that she dreaded this conversation, but she could have gone without it. She was hoping that nothing would change and that this little silver and green paint fiasco was nothing to be worried about, but a part of her was actually scared that she was going to lose James, Sirius, Remus and Peter - after all, they had been her first friends made at Hogwarts. She hoped that Noah's concerns would be alleviated too - Hana was sure that he too was worried about the outcome of this conversation and she wondered, if push came to shove, whose side Noah would take in the end.


	32. Friend Collecting

"Oi, Snowflake!"

Hana turned towards the voice. It was James, Sirius, Remus and Peter, and they were standing behind Noah and Hana expectantly. Hana heaved a sigh.

"Can't this wait until after supper?" she asked. "Peter ate my lunch during the match."

The boy squeaked and cowered behind James.

"Don't worry about it, Peter. I didn't stop you."  
"Look, it really can't," Sirius insisted.  
"Would you let the girl eat her food?" Lily shouted. "She hasn't eaten since breakfast!"  
"Mind your own business would y--"  
"Be quiet."

It was Hana that had spoken. Her voice had remained as calm the early spring, and her features gave nothing to indicate her anger. It was the words and the way that they were spoken that took everyone aback.

"I'll go with you, just give me a minute."

The four boys all nodded and backed off, walking out the Great Hall a few minutes later. Hana turned back to Noah, Lily and Severus with a sigh. 

"Come on, Hana, you're not seriously going?" Lily asked.  
"Yes, I am. Noah, do you mind stealing a few things off the table for me to eat later?"  
"You got it, sister."  
"Hana!"  
"Lily, they're my friends. You're all my friends."  
"Oh, all right. I suppose we wouldn't be much better than them if we stopped you, would we?"

Hana smiled and playfully winked at Lily.

"We still on for that study session tomorrow morning?"  
"If you can wake up on time," Severus commented.  
"Just do what you did last time and charm a paper aeroplane to poke me in the forehead."  
"And hear you complain for three hours? I'll pass."

Hana stuck her tongue out at Severus and headed out the Great Hall. The four boys were waiting for her by the marble staircase, deep in conversation. When she arrived, smiles appeared on their faces. Hana's eyebrows furrowed, as she was thoroughly confused, even more so when James and Sirius swung their arms around her shoulders.

"Should I be concerned that you're being so nice to me?"  
"No, why?" James asked, looking genuinely confused.  
"Well, I sort of expected a lecture, if I'm being honest."  
"What for?" Sirius said. "We're your friends, Snowflake."  
"Yes, but--"  
"Did you really think that we'd let what Hamilton did slide by?" Remus asked.  
"Of course not, I was just concerned."  
"About what?"

The girl sighed. She felt sort of ashamed. To think that she expected her friends to turn on her so quickly. Maybe it was just something else she was used to.

"I figured you'd just... well, you'd take your house's side."  
"Nonsense!" all four boys shouted.  
"We hexed that idiot until he was begging for his mother!" Sirius barked with laughter.  
"You should have seen his face!" James laughed.  
"He's a fourth-year!" Hana gasped.  
"Oh, don't worry about it, Hana," Remus said with a smile. "We'll always have your back."  
"But every other Gryffindor hates me, right?"  
"Yeah, totally."  
"Sore wa ī."1

* * *

Hana awoke to the gentle patter of rain on the windowsill, thunder rumbling from far away and Haru meowing in her ears. She tried to shush him, but to no avail, and he kept on howling until Hana pushed her blankets off. She felt the warmth of sleep begin to slip away, and she shivered. Hana swung her feet over the side of the bed and sat up, rubbing her eyes. Haru walked over her thighs and rubbed his head against the underside of her chin. Hana pet him absent-mindedly then stood up, her bare feet pressing softly against the soft carpet beneath her bed. She walked towards the window and knelt down, lighting the candle to her mother's shrine. It was only after she'd said a few words and stood back up that Hana looked out the window and went into a frenzy.

" _Damedamedame! Mō makenai! Watashi wa 1-pointo dake okurete imasu!_ "2

Haru quickly jumped up onto the bed to avoid Hana running over him. She pulled a ribbon from the posts of her bed and tied her hair haphazardly in front of one of the twin's full-body mirrors. The Ravenclaw yanked off her pyjamas and threw on the first thing she grabbed from her wardrobe. She hopped across the room, trying to put on her woollen socks, and upon success, she grabbed her backpack and dashed out the door.

Hana ran the opposite direction of the main staircases and headed towards the secret passage on the fifth floor. Pretty soon, she wouldn't be able to use it. The cursed ice that had begun invading the school was slowly creeping towards the tapestry that hid the secret staircase. Hana huffed, annoyed, and dashed behind the tapestry. Haru decided to follow her down the stairs, which nearly made her trip and fall flat on her face. When she emerged onto the third floor, Hana and her feline companion dashed across the corridor. They weaved through the crowds of students and ducked into the serpentine corridor. Haru ran down the staircase on the bannister, and Hana followed just behind, shouting at her cat for being a show-off.

They made it to the first floor in no time, and they ran across the corridors all the way to the Library. Hana smashed the doors open, and Haru ran in, much to Pince's annoyance, and she jogged to the back of the library where all the study tables were. 

"Made it!" she announced, dropping her backpack on the ground with a clatter. A few people nearby shushed her, and she apologised before sitting down. "One point to me."  
"You're lucky. Another thirty seconds and you'd have been late," Noah said, looking at the clock on the wall.  
"Now we're even, Sev."

Severus shook his head and went back down to his textbooks. Lily and Hana shared a high-five, and they too began their studying. Haru made himself comfortable in the sun of a nearby windowsill and only took an interest in what the four friends were up to when someone asked a particularly dumb question that made Hana laugh. Pince walked by every so often to shush them and threaten to kick them out, but a quick apology and sweet smile from Lily got her off their backs rather quickly. However, as usual, the studying soon evolved into discussions that were completely unrelated to the task at hand. Noah had dove deeper into his Defence Against the Dark Arts textbook and was looking through the section on Boggarts, Lily was trying to fix Hana's hair, and Severus and Hana had somehow managed to get into a debate about chicken nuggets.

"You're mad."  
"Think about it, if you shove them all in your mouth at once, it's faster," Hana insisted, as Lily tugged on her hair.  
"You can't fit more than a handful of chicken nuggets in your mouth at once," Severus sighed, trying to keep his attention on his textbook.  
"Of course, I can! I've done it before!"  
"Any more than a handful and you'd have to spit them out. How's that efficient?"  
"Hey, if they're already half-chewed it's easier."  
"Hana, you're disgusting," Lily muttered.  
"This is what you get from spending time with four teenage Gryffindor boys."  
"Then stop. You're turning into one of them," she chuckled. "Soon you'll be tossing your hair back and trying to get Severus to go out with you."

At that, Severus made an audible gagging noise. Hana undid all the work that Lily had put in her hair and tossed it all back. She leaned over towards Severus and tossed her hair back. He looked up at her and eyebrow raised.

"Will you go out with me, Sev?" she said, imitating James voice.  
"Piss off, Yukimura," Severus replied, pushing Hana's face away from his.  
"Beautiful," Lily said, as Hana dramatically spun back to her seat.  
"Now Severus knows how Lily feels," Noah said with a chuckle.  
"Far from it," Lily laughed. "Hana is a thousand times more interesting than Potter."  
"Thank you, thank you," Hana said.  
"That doesn't excuse what you did to my work. Now sit still, I've got to redo your hair again."

Hana winced as Lily tugged on her tangled hair, and she spent the next hour, turning it into something decent. The chicken nugget debate veered off course after a bit, and Noah butt in to discuss his mental breakdown over astronomy versus astrology. He and Hana got into it really bad, which sort of terrified Lily a bit. Still, she said nothing, and the conversation persisted through lunch until Severus had enough of hearing about Noah's ascendant and midheaven and tossed biscuit crumbs at the both of them. 

"Ah, _kuso_! I forgot Haru in the library!" Hana suddenly exclaimed.  
"How do you manage to forget your cat?" Noah asked incredulous.  
"This is indeed a whole new level of stupid, even for you," Severus added.  
"Ah, _damare_."3

Hana got up from her seat and brushed off the remaining crumbs before jogging out of the Great Hall. When she got to the Library and headed to the back, she found Haru in the same spot as she'd left him; still comfortable and sunbathing on the windowsill. Hana picked him up, and he meowed at her, expressing distaste for being manhandled.

"Oh, don't be that way. Pince would have your neck if you stayed here unsupervised. I'll let you down when we're out."

Haru made a sort of grumbling noise and let himself be carried out of the Library without much fuss, even though Pince was giving them the stick-eye. The second they were out, Haru jumped to the ground and dashed off. Hana rolled her eyes at Haru, and calmly began her walk back to the Great Hall. She was halfway there went a nearby crashing noise got her attention. Hana peered around into a classroom corridor and spotted a red-headed boy by a stack of books splayed out on the ground. Much to her annoyance, Mulciber and Avery were hovering over the boy looking maliciously amused.

"What do you think you're doing?" Hana roared, stepping into the corridor.  
"Just having a bit of fun, Jap," Mulciber answered.  
"Get out of here."  
"Are you dense?" Avery insisted. "We're just having a bit of fun."  
"Fun, my arse," Hana said sharply. "Get lost."  
"Or what?" Mulciber asked, stepping over the boy. "You going to make us?"  
"I don't have time for you, Mulciber."

Hana bent down and helped the boy up. As she was helping him pick up his books, Avery shoved her shoulder with his foot. She fell back a bit, but ignored the two bullies and continued putting the boy's books in his bag. Avery shoved her again, this time a little harder, and she fell back on her elbows. Still, she paid them no mind and stood. Mulciber and Avery shouted profanities as Hana lead the boy out of the corridor, but they didn't do more, much to Hana's relief. Hana flexed the fingers on her left hand as they left, trying to calm herself before it became an issue.

"Are you all right?" she asked the boy when they were back out in the open.  
"Yeah, I'm fine," he said in a heavy Irish accent. "Thanks. How're your elbows?"

Hana checked her sweater. There were holes where she'd fallen, but at least her shirt had been thick enough to prevent any skin scraping.

"They're good. What's your name?"  
"Flynn. Flynn Murphy," the boy said.  
"Well, Flynn, I'm Hana," she said, extending her hand. The boy shook it rather firmly. "Have you got anywhere to be?"  
"Not really, I was just going to head out to the Library and study."  
"Do you want to come meet my friends? We can help you study if you'd like."

The boy's hazel eyes seemed to light up, and he accepted Hana's offer in a heartbeat. The girl chuckled and ruffled the boy's hair, then lead him to the Great Hall where Noah, Lily and Severus were waiting. He seemed apprehensive to join them when he saw Severus, but Hana reassured him that the boy was just a grump and nothing more. When Hana and Flynn reached the table, Lily beamed up at them.

"Oh, are we collecting more friends?" she chirped.  
"Did you bump into this one too?" Severus said, sarcasm dripping from every word.  
"It was one time, Severus Snape!" Hana shouted indignant.  
"Actually, since first year, it's been seven. That I know of."

Hana stuck out her tongue at him, and he rolled his eyes. Flynn chuckled, seemingly put at ease by Hana and Severus' interaction. And it didn't take long for those chuckles to turn into laughter. The five of them bounced remarks between themselves like a kid's rubber ball. They weren't quite sure who had started it all, but as the day wore on they were getting wittier and wittier, and the laughter increased tenfold, enough maybe, to rival the laughter shared between four Gryffindor boys.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Oh, great.  
> 2: No, no, no! I can't lose again! I'm only one point behind!  
> 3: Shut up


	33. Fear

"Where in Merlin's good name is my wand?"  
"You've lost your wand? How do you lose your wand?"  
"It's a talent of hers."  
" _Damare_ , Noah."  
"Let me look."  
"You're not goi--"  
"Got it."  
"Wow. Can you find my will to go to History of Magic, now?"

It was a strange November morning. While the sun was usually bright in the sky, today it was hidden behind grey storm clouds. Hana had woken up without Haru's help, and without oversleeping, for the first time since her first year. The secret staircase she used to be anywhere on time was officially blocked by the cursed ice that was slowly spreading through the whole fifth floor. Hana and Noah estimated that if nothing was done, their common room entrance would be encapsulated by the Easter holidays. Losing her wand inside the depths of her extension-charmed bag wasn't out of the ordinary, but the silence that hung around the Great Hall was. The teachers were very quiet as if they knew something the students didn't. Her Gryffindor boys weren't laughing obnoxiously or throwing food at each other, and Lily was even talking to Remus. Severus was sitting by himself at the Slytherin table, older students that Hana didn't like trying to engage in a conversation with him. Noah was unusually sarcastic and talkative this morning, which is a Noah that usually arrived only after their first class. And Flynn had joined her and Noah for breakfast, which was something that he usually did with his brother at the Hufflepuff table.

None of this was sitting well with Hana. Even she could feel that something was off. Really off. She thought that maybe it was the growing nervousness over the Ravenclaw-Hufflepuff Quidditch match this weekend, or perhaps the cursed ice that was making everyone colder than average. But when the owls dropped everyone's mail and the morning paper, she, and everyone else in the Great Hall, knew precisely what wasn't sitting right. It was right there on the front page, floating in the picture as if it were mocking the entire wizarding community. A giant black and white printed skull stared straight at her, and the snake swerving around it looked like it was aching to leave and commit another horrible crime.

An entire family of Muggles had died last night.

"Everyone," Dumbledore said as he stood. "May I have your attention please?"

Everyone turned to Dumbledore immediately, and for once, he didn't need to call for silence. No one was talking, not even whispering. Hana stared at the paper, unable to believe that this Voldemort character had already begun doing such unspeakable things. It seemed like yesterday that the Ministry had announced his existence to the public.

"Today, the wizarding community is scarred for life. One of our own has turned his back on its rules and principles, and has committed what can only be described as an atrocity," Dumbledore said. "I do not wish to frighten you, but I believe this to be only the beginning of much worse things to come."

Immediately the crowd of students began whispering amongst each other. Worried eyes darted across the room to their siblings and their friends. Hana had to admit that her eyes went over to all of her friends and stared at them, willing them to remain safe for the Christmas holidays to come.

"Rest assured that while you are within these walls, you are safe, and rest assured that the Ministry and the Aurors are working night and day to keep everyone else safe. For now, however, there is nothing that we can do, except grieve for the family, friends and loved ones of the Muggles who were lost today."

And with that, Dumbledore asked for a few minutes of quiet contemplation, then sent everyone off to their classes for the day. However, Hana wasn't much up for classes at the moment. She didn't know these people, and they were Muggles, but Hana couldn't help but whisper a small prayer under her breath for them. Noah gave her a half-smile when looked back up, but he looked more worried than anything else. Then her eyes darted over to Flynn. She and Noah might have been Purebloods, but Flynn's mother was a Muggle, and Hana could tell he was far more shaken up than they were. This could have been her.

"Come on, let's not go to History of Magic," Hana said, as the three friends were exiting the Great Hall.  
"What? We can't skip class," Flynn reasoned.  
"Flynn, it's History of Magic. We're basically teaching ourselves."  
"And Binns has got himself on snooze half the time," Noah added, rolling his eyes. "You don't even pay attention when you're in class, anyway. Don't think I didn't notice."  
"You only noticed because you're spying people to ask their notes from," Hana chuckled. She turned to Flynn and swung her arm over his shoulders. "Let's grab Lily and go hide in our common room, okay? We're all in this together."  
"Oh, right, Lily hasn't seen it yet."  
"You up for it, Flynn?"

Flynn looked between Noah and Hana, unsure. Then he let out a little sigh and shrugged. 

"Only because I get to see your common room," he said quietly.

Noah and Hana looked at each other and laughed. Noah went ahead to grab Lily, who was already on her way to Charms, and Hana lead Flynn towards the Ravenclaw common room. She made him take a few shortcuts, and then they emerged on the third floor. Unfortunately, since the secret staircase was frozen shut, Flynn and Hana had to go waste their time in the shifting staircases. This gave Noah and Lily some time to catch up to them, as they'd climbed onto the ridiculously stubborn staircase that only moved if there were three or more people on it. 

Lily and Flynn were amazed when they saw the ample common room. It was far airier than the Gryffindor common room, Lily commented, and Flynn agreed. Even if her House was also inside a tower, the Ravenclaws had a far more magnificent view of the mountains than that of the Gryffindor common room. There was a designated book drop on one of the desks in the room, and the books placed on it immediately floated back up to their own bookshelf. Hana, Noah, Flynn and Lily ducked underneath a few of them on their way to their dormitory.

"Woah, the staircase doesn't turn into a slide!?" Lily gasped, looking over to the boys following her up the stairs.  
"Oh, no, we broke that enchantment centuries ago," Noah laughed. "Hana and I share a dorm, too."  
"What! That is amazing!"  
"Well, we don't have stairs either," Flynn said. "Our dorms are separated, but I'm not barred from going into the girls' dorm and vice-versa."  
"I suddenly feel annoyed that I'm a Gryffindor."  
"Don't worry, Severus has got the same problem," Hana chuckled. "Anyway, it's through here."

They went through a short corridor with several doors leading to individual dorm rooms. Portraits of famous Ravenclaws adorned the walls and torches turned off and on if the people inside were sleeping. A few paper aeroplanes whizzed above their heads, on their way to their destination someplace in the castle. Lily and Flynn watched them go by in fascination, and they even got to notice the ceiling's stars that changed to reflect relevant information for Ravenclaw students. Some of the dorm room doors were swung open, and Lily and Flynn were both amazed to find that each one was slightly different. Some students had dozens of houseplants to decorate, others put up their own artwork, and a few Indian students had hung silks of every bright and cheery colour you could think of around their room, bathing it in a kaleidoscope of colours. 

Noah and Hana's room wasn't as colourful as that one, but it was one of a kind all the same. It was bright and airy, the silky window coverings softening the sunlight as it poured into the room. It smelled fresh and clean, but you could still catch the lingering scent of burnt sandalwood and the fragrance of plum blossoms coming from the incense on Hana's bedside windowsill.

Books and clothes were stacked nearly all the way to the ceiling on Tulip and Violet's side of the dormitory, and several pieces of jewellery and scarves hung from their full-length mirrors and four-poster beds. A little closer, Lily and Flynn spotted enough quidditch paraphernalia to put a small shop out of business, with merchandise from the Holyhead Harpies all the way to his own House's team. There was an Appleby Arrows cloak hanging from his four-poster, goggles alongside it, and poking from underneath his bed was a Chudley Cannons flag that he seemed to be embarrassed of. Noah's part of the room might as well have been the cover of the Growing-Up-With-Strict-Parents magazine if that was a thing. His bed was impeccably made, there wasn't a thread out of place, and the only thing that seemed out of the ordinary was a giant stuffed sheep that Hana had gotten him for his birthday the year prior. Lily had to resist jumping on his bed to tackle it with a hug.

Hana's side of the dorm room was something out of a dream. The window coverings were drawn a bit more than the rest of the room, and they were doubled up by lace-like fabric in the same colours as the sunrise. A thin wisp of smoke rose from her mother's shrine, and it bathed the room with a pleasant floral scent. The smoke seemed to make everything around it fuzzy as if looking at a poorly taken Muggle photo. With the dozens and dozens of plants and flowerpots around the bed, the smoke looked like mist creeping through the forest, and for a moment, Lily and Flynn could have sworn they were in an old Seer's home. 

And that's where they spent their morning, entwined with the floral scent and the smoke, and surrounded by a forest of green leaves and pale yellow flowers that reminded Hana of home. Lily cuddled with the giant sheep as she expressed her worry for more Muggle attacks, and Flynn could only bring himself to nod at things he agreed with. Noah sat with his back against on of Hana's bedposts, lazily petting Haru who'd been sleeping on Hana's plush pillows all morning, and he tried his best to comfort his friends, who had all the reasons to be worried. Hana was listening. Mostly silent. And she watched Lily and Flynn talk about their worries and tried to push down her own. Because right now, it wasn't about her. It wasn't about her fear, but about theirs, and how she'd do anything in her power to put a right stop to it.


	34. Blue and Bronze

"Oi, what'd you reckon vhat is?"  
"Gee, I dunno, James, what with that shape?"  
"I'm sherioush, Rem!"  
"Yeah, that's what I was afraid of."  
" _Damare_ , both of you. And get those out of your mouth, James Potter."

A large and long parcel had dropped itself on the Gryffindor table this fine Friday morning. It clipped the Cheeri-Owls box and sent it flying towards the Hufflepuff table and knocked over someone's drink on the other side. Hana paid the messes no mind and thanked the owl for delivering the parcel. It flew off with a screech, and the girl finally put her hands on the large item. Just by looking at it, Hana knew what it was, but it didn't stop the excitement from rising up inside her body. James was genuinely confused as to what it was, and even Sirius was judging him for once. Remus was judging him long before he began questioning the contents of the obviously wrapped parcel—James had decided it was a good idea to use two spoons as tusks. Peter was quiet, but Hana could tell that he was just as intrigued by the parcel as James was. She thought they'd both explode.

Hana taunted them both a bit until Sirius had to physically restrain James, and then she tore open the package without any sort of grace or method or delicateness. Underneath the plain brown paper was a beautifully crafted broom. Rich cherrywood gleamed in the candlelight and antique brass fittings reflected the light in just the right places. The tapered tail was wonderfully woven together and the golden etching of her native language on the handle was impeccable.

"That thing is gorgeous!" James said, wide-eyed. "Does it have a name?"  
"A name?" Sirius scoffed. "James, it's basically a glorified stick."

Remus and James hit him over the head.

"Oi, all right, I got it. Not a stick."  
"Of course it has a name," Hana said, closely inspecting every inch of her new broomstick. "It's the _Hebunrēsā_. The Heavens Racer."  
"I do admit that that does sound pretty good," Sirius said with a shrug.  
"You gotta test it out. You gotta!" James said excitedly. He stuffed the rest of his breakfast in his mouth and stood up. "Well, come on, you wazy shods! Let'sh get our coats and go outshide!"

A smile spread across Hana's face in an instant. She and the other boys gobbled down the rest of their breakfasts and dashed up to their common rooms for the appropriate clothing. Hana tossed on an extra sweater and her hanten, then slipped her feet out of her trainers and into her pair of riding boots. She wrapped her neck with a dark green scarf that she was allowed to steal off Severus, only because he'd given her one the year prior, and then ran back downstairs to where James, Sirius, Remus and Peter were already waiting.

The mid-November air was like frozen lace on Hana's skin, delicate and cold. The sky was washed with grey, but the pure white snow elevated her spirit. She listened to her feet crunch against the snow in the courtyard and as it slowly got quieter the further and deeper into the snow she and the boys went until they were finally at the quidditch pitch.

And at long last, Hana mounted her broom and kicked off from the ground. It was better than she'd ever dreamed. The _Hebunrēsā_ turned with the lightest touch, and much like James and Severus had said, it seemed to obey her thoughts rather than her grip. She sped across the field at such speed that the stadium turned into a white and grey blur, and she turned so sharply that it made Peter scream. Then, she went into a perfectly controlled dive, brushing her toes against the snow before rising thirty, forty, fifty feet into the air again.

"Oi, Snowflake!"

Hana swerved again and Peter screamed. She dashed towards James, who'd let out his Golden Snitch for Hana to fly after. She flew around the goalposts and then turned to race towards the Snitch. She saw it darting around her friends' heads and dove for it. Within ten seconds, Hana had caught the little golden ball in her hand. James, Sirius and Remus cheered loudly, but Peter was still so scared for Hana's safety that all he could do was blink up at her. 

Hana let the Snitch go again, gave it a minute's head start, then tore after it, weaving in and out of the others. She spotted it lurking near Sirius' head, looped him easily, and caught it again. 

"I don't know how I'm going to lose to Hufflepuff tomorrow."

* * *

Hana went down to breakfast the next morning with Noah and the Ravenclaws from her Quidditch team, all of whom seemed to think that the Hebunrēsā deserved some sort of guard of honour. As Hana entered the Great Hall, heads turned in the direction of the Hebunrēsā, and there was a good deal of excited muttering. Hana didn't quite enjoy the attention she was receiving, but she did enjoy, with enormous satisfaction, the look of pure terror on the Hufflepuff team's faces.

"Did you see his face?" Noah said gleefully, looking back at Piper Monroe, the Hufflepuff team captain. "She can’t believe it! This is brilliant!"

Her teammates, especially Pickerin, the captain, were basking in the reflected glory of the Hebunrēsā.

"Put her here, Yukimura," she said, laying the broom in the middle of the table and carefully turning it so that its name faced upwards.

People from the Gryffindor, Hufflepuff and even the Slytherin table were soon coming over to look. Lily came over to congratulate Hana on money well-spent, her Gryffindor boys were ushered away by Eiran and Tiordan, the Ravenclaw Beaters, out of fear they'd sabotage the broom, and from across the Great Hall, Hana spotted Severus shaking his head at the crowd. She couldn't help but chuckle.

"Sure you can manage that broom, Jap?" an arrogant voice said.

Eldrige Hamilton had arrived for a closer look. Hana hadn't forgotten the boy who'd denied her entry into the Gryffindor common room a few weeks back. She glared right at him the second he spoke.

"Yeah. Better than you."

She noticed Hamilton's jaw clench.

"It's got plenty of special features, hasn't it?" he said. "Shame it doesn't come with a parachute—in case you get a Bludger to the head."  
"Pity you can't attach an extra arm to yours," Hana said calmly. "Then maybe you'd be able to aim at me properly."

The Ravenclaws laughed loudly, and Hamilton stalked off. It wasn't quite like her to trash-talk like that, but Hana would gladly make an exception for this boy. 

At a quarter to eleven, the Ravenclaw team set off for the locker rooms. The weather couldn't have been better for Hana's first match. It was a clear and cool day with a very light breeze. Though she was quite nervous, Hana was beginning to feel the excitement only a Quidditch match could bring. From inside the locker rooms, they could hear the rest of the school moving to the stadium beyond. Hana tugged off her coat and black school robes and relished the cold air on her skin before sliding into her blue ones, a great bronze '4' emblazoned on the back of it. Hana thought the number four was bad luck, but maybe being known as the seeker with the number of death could have its advantages if she won her match.

"You know what we've got to do," Pickerin said as they prepared to leave the locker rooms. "We've got to win! Now, fly like you've been flying in practice, and we've got this in the bag!"

They cheered together and then headed onto the pitch. Hana wished for good luck on her way, and glanced up at the blue sky once in the middle of the pitch. When the Hufflepuff team came out, Hana's eyes immediately found their Seeker. His name was Wade Vossen, and he was about twice as tall as Hana was, with nearly just as much reach. However, he didn't scare her at all. If anything, she found looking at him amusing. The way he was nervously glancing at the cherrywood broom in her right hand was amazing, and Hana couldn't help but glare menacingly back at him. One thing that Pickerin had taught the Ravenclaw team well, was that Quidditch wasn't just about talent and the way you flew on a broom. Quidditch was just as much a sport, as it was a mind game.

"Pickerin, Monroe, shake hands," Madam Hooch said briskly, and Pickerin shook hands with the Hufflepuff Captain. "Mount your brooms... on my whistle. Three—two—one—"

Hana kicked off into the air and the Hebunrēsā zoomed higher and faster than any other broom. She soared around the stadium and began squinting around for the Snitch, all the while keeping an eye on Vossen and listening to the commentary, which was once again being provided by Noah.

"They’re off, and the big excitement this match is the Hebunrēsā that Hana Yukimura is flying for Ravenclaw. According to Which Broomstick, the Hebunrēsā’s going to be the broom of choice for the national Japanese team at this year’s World Championship—"  
"Xiang, would you mind telling us what’s going on in the match?" Professor McGonagall's voice interrupted.  
"Right you are, Professor! Just giving a bit of background information—the _Hebunrēsā_ , incidentally, has a built-in cushioning charm and—"   
"Xiang!"  
"Okay, okay, Ravenclaw in possession, Aidan Latimer of Ravenclaw, heading for the goal..."

Hana streaked past Latimer in the opposite direction, gazing around for a glint of gold, and noticed that Vossen was tailing her closely. He was undoubtedly a good flier—he kept cutting across her, forcing her to change direction.

"Show him your acceleration, Yukimura!" Tiordan yelled as he wooshed past in the pursuit of a Bludger that was aiming for Pickerin.

Hana urged the Hebunrēsā forward as they rounded the Hufflepuff goalposts and Vossen fell behind. Just as Latimer succeeded in scoring the first goal of the match, and the Ravenclaw end of the field went wild, Hana saw it. The Snitch was close to the ground, flitting near one of the barriers. Hana dived. Vossen saw what she was doing and tore after her. Hana was speeding up, excitement flooding through her. Dives had always been a favourite of hers, and with this broom, it made it all the easier. She was only ten feet away—then a Bludger, hit by one of the Hufflepuff Beaters, came pelting out of nowhere. Hana veered off course, avoiding it by barely an inch, and in those crucial seconds, the Snitch had vanished.

"Ah, _kuso_."

There was a great "Ooooooh" of disappointment from the Ravenclaw supporters, but much applause for their Beater from the Hufflepuff end. Eiran vented his feelings by hitting the second Bludger directly at the offending Beater, who was forced to roll right over in midair to avoid it.

"Ravenclaw leads by eighty points to zero, and look at that _Hebunrēsā_ go! Hana’s really putting it through its paces now, see it turn—Vossen’s Comet is just no match for it, the _Hebunrēsā’s_ precision—balance is really noticeable in these long—"  
"NOAH XIANG! ARE YOU BEING PAID TO ADVERTISE? GET ON WITH THE COMMENTARY!" 

Hufflepuff was pulling back. They'd scored three goals now, which put Ravenclaw only fifty points ahead. If Vossen caught the Snitch before her, then Hufflepuff would win. Hana dropped lower, narrowly avoiding a Hufflepuff Chaser, scanning the field for that blasted floating gold ball. Then, she spotted it again, that annoying little glint of fluttering gold, besides the Ravenclaw goalposts. Hana accelerated, eyes fixed on the speck of gold, but then Vossen appeared out of thin air, blocking her. Thinking quickly, Hana pushed her broom downwards and jumped off of it. She hung onto it with one hand as she soared right underneath Vossen, and when she'd passed him, swung back onto her broom with incredible speed.

The crowd went completely crazy. So much so, that the Snitch got agitated and moved again. It hid in the stands, and Hana couldn't spot it for a while, which gave Vossen enough time to catch up and tail her again. 

Hana rolled her eyes. Fine. If he wanted to tail her instead of finding the Snitch himself, then he'd have to take the consequences. Hana dove again, and Vossen, thinking she'd seen the Snitch, tried to follow. Just before she crashed, Hana sharply pulled up from her dive. Vossen, however, couldn't pull up in time. He went hurtling down the pitch, scraping up the snow as he went.

Satisfied, Hana went back up again and spotted the Snitch for the third time. It was glittering at the Hufflepuff end. Hana dashed for it, her eyes not leaving it for a second. She was gaining on it, and when it swerved, so did she. There was no escaping. Hana stretched out her hand and just managed to close her fingers over the small, struggling Snitch.

Madam Hooch's whistle sounded. Hana turned in midair and saw six blue blurs bearing down on her. The next moment, the whole team was hugging her so hard she was nearly pulled off her broom. Down below she could hear the roars of the Ravenclaw crowd.

"That's my girl!" Pickerin kept shouting.

All of her teammates had come up and kissed her cheeks and Pickerin had her in a grip so tight Hana felt as though her head would come off. In complete disarray, the team managed to make its way back to the ground. Hana got off her broom to see a gaggle of Ravenclaw supporters sprinting onto the field, Noah in the lead. Before she knew it, she'd been engulfed by the cheering crowd. 

"Yes!" Noah yelled, yanking Hana's arm into the air. "You've murdered them! Deadly Number Four!"  
"You're a legend, Snowflake!" James shouted, looking delighted. "Peter owes me five galleons!"  
"You were amazing, Hana," Remus said, smiling.   
"Oi, that was brilliant!" Sirius said as excitedly as James.  
"Don't tell Monroe, but I was rooting for ya the whole time," Flynn laughed.

If anything could have set the seal on Ravenclaw’s victory, it was this. Hana trapped Flynn in a bone-crushing hug, and Noah, who had fought his way through to Hana’s side again, doubled up with laughter and joined in.

"Come on!" Pickerin shouted. "Party in the Ravenclaw common room!"  
"And Eldrige Hamilton is _not_ invited!" Hana shouted back.

The Ravenclaws cheered, as did many of Hana's friends, then she and the rest of her team led the way, still in their blue robes, out of the stadium and back up to the castle. It felt as though they'd already won the Quidditch Cup. The party went on all day and well into the night. Sirius and James disappeared for a couple of hours and returned with armfuls of bottles of butterbeer, pumpkin fizz, and several bags full of Honeydukes sweets.

"How did you do that?" Pickerin squealed as Sirius started throwing Peppermint Toads into the crowd.

Sirius and James winked at Hana, and she couldn't help but smile. The discovery of new secret passageways was underway, and there was no chance that any of them were going to tell anyone anytime soon.

Only one person wasn’t joining in the festivities. Severus, unsurprisingly, was sitting in a corner, attempting to read an enormous book entitled Protection Charm Your Mind: A Practical Guide to Counter Legilimensy. It was surprising, however, that he'd even shown up at all. Hana broke away from the table where James and Sirius were distributing drinks and sweets and went over to him.

"Did you even come to the match?" she asked.  
"Of course, I did. So did Lily," he said, eyes still glued to his book. "Am I supposed to be congratulating you?"  
"Well, we did win, Severus."  
"Yes, well, you've been congratulated enough for one day, and I'm not about to feed that ego of yours any more than it needs to be."  
"Then why else would you be here?"

Severus rolled his eyes and Hana laughed. For a moment, she glanced back at the crowd then sighed. Hana seemed exhausted, but she turned back to Severus with a happy smile regardless. He thought it seemed a bit forced.

"Come on, Severus. Have some food, have a butterbeer."  
"I've still got four hundred and twenty-two pages to read," Severus said flatly. "Besides, I don't think that I'd be welcome amongst most of these people."

He quickly looked up and straight at James, Sirius, Remus and Peter. Hana sighed and knelt in front of Severus, then she slammed his book shut. He protested loudly, but she shushed him and then vanished into the crowd for a moment. Severus rolled his eyes again and went to sit down again, but Hana reappeared with an enormous bag of individually wrapped toffees and dragged the boy out of the common room.

"Let go of me, will you," he complained.  
"No, you'll run away."

Severus scoffed, but he made no further complaints as Hana dragged him down the tower and around the fifth floor. Eventually, Hana let go of Severus once they'd reached a corridor the boy didn't recognise. However, curious as he was, he followed Hana out into the darkness, until he finally saw four massive gold and copper bells and an immense pendulum that was slowly swinging from left to right.

Hana sat down at the end of the platforms, letting her legs dangle off the ends. The moonlight was just bright enough to light the area and to see its reflection on the bells and the pendulum. The girl dropped the bag of toffees beside her and dug her hand in immediately. Severus quietly sat down beside her. After a moment, he took a toffee as well.

"If I'm being honest, I was tired of all the people anyway."  
"Then why'd you try to drag me into the party?"  
"So that I'd be suffering with you," Hana quipped. "To be quite honest, I think James and Sirius wanted the attention more than I did, anyway," Hana chuckled.  
"You play Quidditch for fame, don't you?" Severus said, grabbing another toffee piece.  
"I play Quidditch because I like the wind in my hair."

Severus glanced at her quickly, eyebrows furrowed. 

"It reminds me of home."

Hana looked wistfully into the distance. She wasn't looking at anything, actually. She was remembering the feeling of the wind in her hair, the smell of the salty sea air, the herbs, and the giant wisteria tree. Severus stared at her, looking at her as if she had spoken words he couldn't understand. The girl smiled and shook her head, then, seeing the look on his face, she gently nudged Severus' shoulder with her own.

"Don't worry about it."  
"I'm not worried," he said, taking another piece of toffee. "Just curious."  
"One day, I'll tell you all about it," Hana said, stealing the piece of toffee from Severus' hand.  
"And when will that be?"  
"Probably never."

Severus tossed a piece of toffee at Hana, and she laughed.

"Are you going to tell me why you hate going home?"  
"The same day you tell me about your home."  
"Really?"  
"Maybe."

Hana scoffed and nudged Severus with her shoulder.

"So, Deadly Number Four, huh?"  
" _Damare_."


	35. Hana

"Hana?"  
"What?"  
"What're you doing?"  
"History of Magic homework."  
"Isn't that due in an hour?"  
"Don't remind me."  
"Is that why you look like a homeless man?"

Noah avoided the empty inkwell that Hana tossed at him in the nick of time. He laughed and spent the next ten minutes getting ready in the bathroom, but he emerged looking nearly the same. His hair still refused to cooperate. Hana, in the meantime, had finished her History of Magic homework and had made herself look half decent. Of course, there would be no hiding the atrocious dark circles under her eyes, but Hana didn't care—as long as her hair was tamer than Noah's and her uniform was mostly on right, she was happy.

That happiness what short-lived, however. The second that Hana, Noah and a few other Ravenclaw left their common room, an immense cold seized them. Overnight, the ice had spread far worse than anyone could have anticipated. It covered the walls and the floor mere feet away from the entrance to Ravenclaw Tower. Hana watched as it glittered and slowly began to expand as more and more students walked past it. Her eyebrows furrowed. She recalled the day where she got too close to the ice herself. 

"I think someone was tampering with the ice last night," Hana said, as she and Noah made their way to the Great Hall.  
"Are you sure?" Noah asked, frowning. Hana nodded.  
"Last time I got even remotely close to the ice it started spreading. If it spread that much during the night, someone must have gotten involved."  
"Do you think we should tell Dumbledore?"

Hana scoffed and shook her head.

"I think it's safe to assume that Professor Dumbledore knows everything that we know, Noah. And he's probably more concerned with this Voldemort character right now, anyway—there were more attacks earlier this week. Besides, if I go and tell him that I've been near the ice he'll be keeping an eye on me."

Noah raised an eyebrow at Hana, and she smiled in a way that worried him. Something was going on in that girl's mind, and Noah was worried that she might put herself in danger. After all, she did run around with a mindless werewolf once a month.

And those scars were beginning to add up. Some of them Hana had problems hiding now. She'd gotten her jaw slashed during the last full moon, and was lucky she was carrying a mixture of powdered silver and dittany to reduce the scarring. Still, the faint claw marks were present on Hana's jaw, and every time Remus looked at it, he was beside himself.

History of Magic went off without a hitch, as usual. Flynn, Lily, Noah and Hana barely paid Professor Binns any mind as he droned on and on about the International Warlock Convention of 1298 and they made paper aeroplanes fly around and float straight through him every time he went to sleep, much to the amusement of the rest of class. When the bell rang, everyone made a mad dash for the door. No one wanted to spend a single second longer in Binns' class than they had to. 

It wasn't the same for Transfiguration, however. After Hana and Noah separated from Lily and Flynn, they joined their Gryffindor boys in Professor McGonagall's class, and everyone had great fun. The subject was of particular interest to them, as Remus' plan to map out all of Hogwarts' secret passageways was underway. He and James had the idea to make an interactive map of some kind, and they were eagerly awaiting the moment when Professor McGonagall began talking about the particulars of the transformation formula. 

For now, McGonagall was attempting to introduce a new spell, and it unsurprisingly caught the boys' attention for all the wrong reasons. 

"Today, I'll be teaching you the Softening Charm," she began. "Now, before we can begin, I must ask you to write something down and remember it."

There was a scuffling for quills and parchment, and then the room fell silent again.

"I will not use the Hogwarts staircases as a trampoline."

James and Sirius snapped their heads towards each other so unsubtly that McGonagall came up and smack them both upside the head. She stood next to them and watched them write what she'd said, but it was useless. The second that the spell was acquired and they were out of the classroom, Hana, James and Sirius bounced up and down the stairs all the way to the Great Hall for Lunch, with Noah and Remus following far behind them, completely embarrassed.

However, their lunchtime fun ended when they entered their Defence Against the Dark Arts class. Hana took her usual spot beside Severus, and her other friends began giving them distasteful looks. James and Sirius might have agreed to leave Severus alone, but that didn't mean that their dislike for him disappeared. Hana knew that. What Hana didn't expect was the look on Noah's face. True he'd been hanging around James, Sirius and Remus more and more, but she never expected the wary look in his eye when it was directed towards Severus. 

Maybe she was overthinking things. Hana hoped she was. There was no way that Noah would ever begin to share James and Sirius' opinion of Severus. Right? But then again, even Lily had begun to express concern for Severus. Of course, it wasn't against him, but she was worried that he was starting to get with the wrong crowd. James, Sirius and even Remus had said something similar. Maybe the look on Noah's face wasn't–

"Something's wrong."

Hana's thoughts soon came to a halt and she stared at Severus, confused.

"Your hand."

The girl looked down at her hand, and sure enough, it was trembling like a leaf. Hana sighed and flexed her hand a few times. When that didn't work, she wrung her hands together and kept them tightly entwined, hoping that she'd forget about them and they'd stop moving on their own. 

" _Shinpaishinaide_ ," Hana muttered. "Don't worry about it."

Severus gave her a sceptical look and she waved it off. Unbeknownst to her, it was the dismissal of that look that made Severus all the more worried—or curious, as he would say. But nothing else was spoken for the entire class, as Professor Pulvis attempted to teach everyone the Disarming Charm. Most people got it right on their first try, including Hana and Severus, but it was only James and Sirius who went around disarming people around the school after the class was over. 

"Idiots," Severus muttered to himself.  
"I can't deny that," Hana said with a sigh.  
"Yet you call them your friends."  
"They have their moments."  
"They made your hand tremble earlier."

Hana cast Severus a side glance then looked back ahead. They turned around a corner and headed up a flight of steps, sidestepping a group of first-year Gryffindors trying to slide down the bannister.

"I'm not stupid, Yukimura."  
"I never said you were."  
"Then stop treating me like I am!"

Hana stopped mid-step and turned around. She ignored everyone complaining that she and Severus were parked in the middle of the staircase, and stared straight at the boy. It was the first time since she'd known him that he'd raised his voice. Sure he would get agitated, irritated and grouchy, but not once had he ever properly shouted. Hana was both concerned and fascinated by the emotion that shone in his dark eyes. 

"Don't think I can't see the looks that those idiot Gryffindors give you every single time you sit next to me. Don't think I can't see how Xiang is starting to do the same."  
"Come on, Severus, they—"  
"And you keep defending them! You keep defending these people that are doing nothing but cause problems."  
"They—"  
"Don't defend them. It's written all over your face, Hana. I can see your stupid brain working behind your eyes, trying to figure out the best way to avoid confrontation, to avoid having to choose or to stand up for yourself."  
"Well I—"  
"Of course, you complete idiot! All this compromising you're doing, all this "I-want-to-please-everyone" attitude is killing you."  
"Sev—"   
"Just now those dunderheads were giving you looks—just looks—and you're already beside yourself with concern!"  
"Sev—"  
"There's not even any proof and you're—"  
"Severus Snape!"

The staircase and the hallway had long been void of anyone else but Hana and Severus, and Hana's shout echoed through the empty space. Severus cut himself off. Hana was looking anywhere but at him. The floors and the paintings were far more interesting, even though the paintings were looking back at her as if she were something to be gawked at. Her hand was shaking for the second time today, but that wasn't what was bothering her the most. What was bothering her the most was that Severus Snape was right.

Trying to please everyone was killing her. It caused her so much unneeded pressure and anxiety. She constantly worried what James, Sirius, Remus and Peter would think about her spending free time alone in her dorm with Severus. She constantly worried about what pranking the Hufflepuff and Slytherin common rooms would make Lily and Severus think of her.

Despite trying everything to please James, Sirius, Remus, Peter, Lily and Severus, nothing was working. There was no peace. Her Gryffindor boys still looked at her like she was the enemy whenever she was around Severus. Lily constantly kept complaining about them hexing some first year. Noah's eyes were starting to shine with the same look as James and Sirius' eyes. And Severus? Well, he had to shout at Hana for her to understand any of this.

"I can't just..." Hana sighed. "I can't just cut them out, Severus."  
"Well, why not?" Severus said, rather annoyed.  
"Because I'd like to keep seeing the best in people for as long as I can."

Hana looked over to Severus. He seemed conflicted. On one hand, his anger had subsided, and she could tell that he understood her desire. But something else in eyes said that he thought her completely mad for torturing herself like this. She couldn't blame him. He was right, after all. However, it just wasn't in her nature to give up on people so easily.

The girl took a deep breath and let it out slowly. After pacing on her step, she went down a few, flexing her trembling fingers as she went. She stood beside Severus for a moment then sat down in the middle of the staircase, defeated.

"Merlin, we're twelve. Why do we even have to worry about anything?"  
"It might have escaped your notice, but life isn't fair."  
"Always the pessimist, aren't you?"

Hana sighed and hung her head, cursing under her breath. Severus dropped down beside her, and they sat in silence for a while, forgetting that they were on their way to Charms class.

"You know _is_ fair, though?" she said after a while.  
"What?"  
"That I tell you about home."

She looked over at Severus and smiled gently when she saw the confusion on his face.

"Didn't you realise? You called me Hana."


	36. Memories of Home

Severus and Hana had forgotten about Charms class. In fact, if you asked them, they would tell you that they had no intention of going in the first place. The looks on Hana's friends' faces had disturbed her more than she'd care to admit, and Severus had openly spoken about his concern for her more than he'd ever say. It was because of this that they both ended up wandering to Ravenclaw tower and going past the freezing cold ice that dominated the hallway.

Inside her dorm room, Hana reached out towards the satiny curtain and drew it aside in one strong motion. The light flooded in, bathing her in its warmth, revealing to her the colours beyond the windowpane and the colours inside her room. She reached down and lit a few incense sticks, waving them gracefully around the room while whispering words that Severus did not understand. The sun shone through the gentle tendrils of smoke and it cast a gentle halo of light around the moving photograph of Hana's mother on the windowsill. Severus stared at it for a moment, watching the woman's gentle smile appear and disappear upon noticing someone was taking a picture of her. The wind was tossing her hair around, and the woman was desperately trying to keep it away from her face, but to no avail. And even though the picture was chaotic and anything but graceful, the picture was effortlessly beautiful. Severus looked to Hana, who was leaning over Haru to pet him and glanced between her and her mother a few times. As the young girl pushed a few strands of hair away from her face, he noted that she and the woman in the frame did it the same way. They looked so much alike it was nearly criminal.

Hana sat down beside Haru, who immediately got up and went over to Severus who'd just sat down as well. Hana let out an airy chuckle, and she sank back against her headboard, watching Severus awkwardly find a moment to pet the feline who was trying to get comfy. They sat in silence for a while, mostly because Severus was still trying to get Haru to lie still. When that finally happened, Severus was lying on his back at the end of the bed, feet hanging off the edge and with Haru gently purring on his stomach. Hana stared at them, a small smile on her face until Severus turned to look at her and her smile grew in amusement. He looked thoroughly annoyed with the cat but didn't want to disturb him either. Haru was unaware of all this, peacefully sleeping, and enjoying the warmth that he was sleeping on. 

"Are you going to keep calling me Hana? Or was that just a fluke?" Hana asked after a while.

She was genuinely curious. Part of her was used to being called by her last name, but finally having her grouchy friend refer to her by her first name was oddly satisfying.

"If you're going to make a huge deal out of it, you'll stay Yukimura."

Hana chuckled and nodded.

It was quiet again. Neither of them wanted to start talking first. In fact, both of them were wondering why they'd agreed to talk about this in the first place. They both knew that neither of them wanted to talk about it, and they both hoped that the other would talk first. This went on for quite some time until Severus' eye caught Hana's mother's photograph again.

"You look just like her."

Hana looked from Haru to Severus, and then to where his eyes were gazing. She smiled fondly upon seeing her mother's face.

"People in the village said that a lot," Hana said. "They used to think that if I grew up to look exactly her, I'd be the luckiest girl in Japan."  
"The people in your village sound nice."  
"They were."  
"What was it like?"

Hana took a deep breath and let it out slowly. She looked away from her mother's picture and her gaze settled on nothing in particular. It was as though she was looking at something that wasn't there or something she could only see inside her mind. It had gotten harder and harder to find the memories of her home through the years. Hana felt as if there was a veil over them sometimes, and at other times she could remember her home as clearly as if it were yesterday. 

"It always smelled like wisteria flowers," the girl said quietly after a while. "My mother used to keep a jam jar filled with them on the kitchen table. Our house wasn't big, but I've never felt as comfortable as I felt there. It was always filled with music. My mother used to play the piano. If she wasn't playing, then the gramophone was turning out song after song. And you could see the fields and the ocean outside the window.  
"I used to run in those fields a lot, and I'd get a horrible rash if I ran in the wheat, but I didn't care. My mother always laughed at me while she was fixing me up. In the spring, after the rain, you could smell the earth, and I ran barefoot in there on purpose just to kick up the scent and drag in indoors. My father hated that.  
"Then past the fields, there were gardens that every single villager helped maintain. Even I helped. My mother and I would maintain the herb gardens and mill rice into flour. To be honest, I ate shiso right off the plant more than I harvested it. And my father used to maintain the farming equipment, make sure everything was running smoothly as it could. He'd use magic, of course, but no one ever knew.  
"Past the fields, there were wildflowers as far as the eye could see. The grass turned into rainbows that smelled like hundreds of kinds of flowers, and I remember spending the hottest summer days just lying there because the scent was like a drug to me.  
"And if you continued past that, then the grass and the flowers slowly went away and they were replaced with sand. The beach was always my favourite place to be. My mother's too. Even in a storm, it was beautiful. My mother and I would go there every morning, rain or shine. We didn't care if the grass or the sand was wet. We'd sit down and dunk our toes in the water. It was always so cold. But we sat there for hours anyway, until our feet went numb and we had to go back to warm ourselves up. I don't know why she went there all the time, but I went there to smell the salty air, to feel the strong winds on my skin. Maybe she just went because I would have thrown a tantrum. She even went with me on dangerous days, when the wind was so strong it kicked up waves so big that it sprayed the wildflowers. We'd stand there and let the mist coat us, and then we'd rush back inside next to the fire and let the water dry up. The salt would crystallise, and it always looked like we had snow in our hair."

Hana sighed and closed her eyes as she imagined the smell of the sea and the feeling of salt crystallised in her clothes. Severus looked at her in silence. She was calm, no tremble to her hand, and there was a wistful smile on her face.

"And then your mother died."

The girl's eyes opened slowly and they settled on Severus for a moment before they looked over to her mother's photograph.

"And then my mother died."  
"What happened?" Severus asked, absently petting Haru.  
"To be honest, I'm not quite sure," Hana sighed. "I only have vague memories—memories I don't want to recall. Something bad happened, I know. My father, he's—I've barely been on speaking terms with my father since she died."  
"For that long?"

Hana nodded.

"He's always been distant. But he grew cold and detached once she died. I don't think I've ever had a conversation with him that's lasted more than two minutes. Now, when he shows up at the house for a few hours, all he does is make demands or complain or scold me. Most of the time he's not even home. Sometimes I prefer it that way, then I feel quite alone, and then I remember it's like I'm living with a ghost that gives me grief for not making his tea right."  
"What was your mother like?"  
"The kindest," Hana said with a smile. "She enrolled me in a Muggle primary school just so that I'd learn to appreciate the way Muggles lived, and she walked me there every morning. And she'd always help me with my homework.  
"On the weekends we'd clean around the house and listen to music. She tried to teach me how to dance the second I learned to walk, but I never got the hang of it. I might have impeccable coordination on a broomstick, but I've got two left feet honestly."  
"I know. You walk into door frames," Severus commented. It made Hana chuckle.  
"When I was old enough to sit upright she sat me in front of our piano and let me bash on the keys until my father got annoyed. She'd wait until he went to his study, and then she'd tell me to hit the keys again. Every single time."

Severus turned to Hana when he heard her sniffle. Her eyes were watery and red, but the smile on her face was unmistakable. 

"I was only four, but I remember once we went to a festival, and she'd let me eat all the sweets that I wanted. She let me roam through the crowds on my own two feet, but she'd never let go of my hand because she knew that I'd wander off.  
"And what sucks is that the memory that I have the hardest time remembering is my favourite."  
"What is it?"  
"Sometimes, on the rarest occasions, and never if someone asked, she'd sing. Once, my father had even left his study to come listen to her sing. I'd try to sing along, but I couldn't sing at all—I was five. Then my father had joined in too, singing fairly off-key, and he swung me around the living room like we were waltzing. It was I was living a fairytale."

Hana sniffled again, and she wiped the tears away from her face. Severus couldn't help but stare, eyebrows furrowed in the concern he would deny he had. Never before had he seen her so vulnerable. So willingly vulnerable. She'd always been so strong, so quick to dismiss that she wasn't feeling right. But now, she was an open book, and it hurt him to see that Hana, in her purest form, was a sad and lonely child.

"That's the only good memory I have of my father," Hana said weakly. "Sometimes I look at him, and I can't even recognise the person in that memory, because everything else—Everything else is just not worth remembering, or its terrifying."  
"Nothing about my father is worth remembering, either," Severus said after a moment. "Or my mother, or my home, for that matter."

After wiping the last of her tears away, Hana turned from her mother's photograph to Severus. He was staring straight up at the bed's canopy, and he'd stopped petting Haru, much to the feline's dismay. She couldn't see that far very well, but Hana got the general impression that Severus' expression was far from joyful.

"You asked me why I don't want to go home, well it's because of a lot of things," Severus said. "My father, my mother, the house itself—I can't stand being there."  
"Why not?" Hana asked. She had a feeling she wouldn't like the answer.  
"My parents fight a lot," he said simply. "Sometimes for hours. I can always hear them from my room—the walls are so thin. He comes home drunk, a lot, my dad. That's when the swearing and shouting usually starts, and when I usually go up in my room to avoid him. After a while, it all goes silent, and my mother comes to my room crying.  
"I was there only once when my father started shouting—my mother had spent a little money to get me a wizard train set for my birthday."  
"I take it your father doesn't like wizards?"  
"He doesn't like anything much."  
"He doesn't hurt you, does he, Severus?"

Severus blinked once and quickly glanced over at Hana without a word. She didn't need much more from him to answer her question. Hana got the same reaction when she asked about his mother. 

"You should spend Christmas with me and Lily," Hana said softly.  
"I'm spending Christmas at Hogwarts, I'll be fine," Severus grumbled.  
"Lily won't let me be alone for Christmas, so why should I let you?"  
"Because I'll hex you if you try to convince me."  
"Come on. We can annoy you with carols—"  
"Oh, wonderful."  
"—and we can open gifts for hours. I can make my mother's Christmas cake recipe and we can drink hot chocolate until we have indigestion. We can hang up a crap ton of fairy lights in Lily's room and I can force you guys to come to the Christmas market with me—well, force _you_. And we can stay up all night, let Lily sleep, and fill Petunia's shampoo bottles with mayonnaise again," Hana added in a sing-song.

Severus smiled ever-so-slightly.

"I do admit that that last part sounds promising."  
"Come on, Severus. It won't hurt to join us."

The boy sighed and shook his head.

"Fine."  
"Wow, that was easy."  
"As long as you don't get me a gift."  
"Oh, shut up, Severus, I'll do what I want."


	37. Holiday for Three

"You both look ridiculous."  
"Yer just jealous you don't have yer own."  
"Believe me when I say that that couldn't be further from the truth."  
"Come on, Noah. It's festive!"  
"I'm Chinese. The most festive we get is wearing bright red and gold underpants."

It was the final morning before the Christmas holidays, and Noah, Lily, Flynn and Hana were sitting at the Ravenclaw table, stuffing their faces with food. Flynn had come down wearing a Christmas sweater with an abnormally large and hideous reindeer on it, and he'd given an identical one to Hana for her to wear. She put it on immediately and proudly showed it off to all the Ravenclaw that pointed it out, but Noah refused to do the same. Instead, he encouraged Lily to take a picture of Hana for future embarrassment. 

"It's not embarrassing, at all!" Flynn insisted. "It's a tradition that you clad yerself in hideous Christmas jumpers. You know, in my family, there's actually a competition on who can wear the ugliest."  
"Why in God's name would anyone do that?" Noah asked, looking at the jumpers. "Come on, those reindeer are staring at me!"  
"Oh, I'll wear Noah's jumper," Lily chirped. "I think I'd look wonderful with this ugly reindeer on me."  
"Lily, I thought you were better than this."

Lily slipped the jumper over her clothes, and she and the other two laughed together. Noah took the opportunity to get a photograph of them all bent over in laughter, and another facing the camera, trying to make the same face as the reindeer on their jumper.

Dumbledore made his usual Christmas holiday speech, which involved something about lemon sherbets and drunk aunts, and then he dismissed all the students from the Great Hall. Some of them returned to their dorms or wandered the grounds, but most of them made their way towards the carriages. Once again, Hana watched the Thestrals in fascination as she sat down, and then they went on their way to Hogsmeade Station. 

James, Sirius, Remus and Peter all hugged Hana and Noah goodbye, as they'd decided to spend Christmas at Hogwarts this year so that Sirius could be away from his family. James tried to get a hug or a smile out of Lily, but she just glared at him and dragged Severus to the train. As the Gryffindor boys returned to the carriages, Hana pulled Remus aside.

"Be careful," she said. "The full moon is in two days, you look like shit, and I won't be there to help you."  
"You worry too much about me," Remus said sheepishly.   
"I don't worry enough, Rem. You should tell James, Sirius and Peter—they can help."  
"Are you mad?"  
"Rem, they'd do it in a heartbeat," Hana insisted. "Just consider it, all right?"

Remus sighed and nodded, and the two friends embraced before Hana turned back to join Noah and Flynn. They walked to the train together, talking about the nonsense Noah's family would be up to this Christmas, and they found Lily and Severus in a compartment near the middle of the train. Everyone made sure to avoid the mistletoe at the centre of each cart, but still took the time to admire the festoons of holly and fairy lights hanging in the hallways. The trolley lady came by about a half-hour into the journey back home, and each one of the students got some sweets for the ride. Lily got a few pumpkin pasties, and like Noah, Flynn got an entire bag full of liquorice wands to share with his family. Hana contented herself with a few pumpkin pasties like Lily, but she also got a small bag of toffees for her and Severus to share.

Flynn spent most of the trip humming to himself or outright singing songs that he and his family sung during the holidays. He complained that he didn't have his mandolin with him and swore that he'd have it on the train ride back to Hogwarts. He even tried to teach Hana and Lily a few songs, but neither of them could keep up with how fast the Irish boy sang. Instead, he got them to clap their hands and stomp their feet to the rhythm, turning the floors and their palms into bodhráns. Noah remained wrapped up in a book for the entire trip, feet propped up across Hana's thighs, and discretely laughing at Lily and Hana's failed attempts to sing with Flynn. His foot swayed with the makeshift band's music, and once in a while, he shouted along with his friends when Flynn called for it. Severus tried his very best to ignore the happy singing and stomping going on, and he found himself staring out the window most of the train ride, wondering if his entire Christmas was going to be like this.

It wasn't easy finding Lily's parents amongst the hustle and bustle of King's Cross station. Flynn found his mother and brother with ease, and he hugged Lily and Hana goodbye. The three boys settled on a nod of the head and a short wave before Flynn disappeared into the crowd of students. Eventually, Mr and Mrs Evans were found, and they greeted her with a tight hug after telling her to stop bowing to them. Because it was the first time meeting Lily's parents, Severus didn't quite know what to do with himself. He stood there slightly awkward under Mr Evans' calculating look, but after releasing Hana from a hug, Mrs Evans greeted Severus warmly and the boy's shoulders relaxed. 

Once again, Lily and Hana jumped into the backseat, this time squeezing Severus between them. Lily turned on the radio and immediately tuned into the Christmas music station, much to Severus' dismay, and he listened to Lily and Hana purposefully sing out of tune to all of the songs that came on. They jumped and danced as best they could, restrained by their seatbelts, and Hana even opened the window once while it was snowing hard, letting hundreds of snowflakes in that fell straight into everyone's hair—Severus had to wrestle her arms away from the window crank to close it when his ears started going red.

It was late in the evening when the Evans', Hana and Severus reached Lily's house. It was almost picturesque. Snow rested upon the roof as if it were a feather pillow, soft and warm. It covered the deep, rich wood trees in perfect white that sparkled in the twilight. And while the children were growing tired from all the travel, sleep was out of the question. 

Mr and Mrs Evans had held off putting up Christmas decorations until Lily and her friends arrived, and that was what they'd do until they couldn't keep their eyes open. Petunia watched them from a distance, unwilling to help them put up anything that she had to wait for this long for. While Lily tried to convince her sister to join in, Hana and Severus couldn't say they were disappointed when Petunia went up to her room to sulk. Hana comforted Lily despite the small bout of joy that rose within her, and she brought the smile back to the girl's face by throwing packets of tinsel at her. 

Christmas of 1972 was one for the record books. The tree that Mr Evans had cut down from the forest nearby was ridiculous. It scraped the popcorn ceiling as he attempted to put the fairy on top. It truly belonged in the forest the way that it dominated the Evans' small living room, but Lily, Hana, and even Severus were excited beyond words. They were awaiting the signal to hang the decorations, and their eagerness didn't go unmissed by the camera. Mrs Evans had taken up her daughter's camera and snapped a few pictures of the children as they draped it in tinsel they pulled off from Lily and the glass ornaments carefully taken from their boxes. When Mr Evans plugged in the lights, Lily and Hana nearly exploded, and Lily grabbed her camera from her mother. She took so many pictures of the tree when it was finished, and she even managed to rope Hana and Severus into posing in front of it for a single picture. It was much easier to convince them to take a picture of all three of them together, and Mrs Evans called out the typical 'cheese' as a queue for everyone to smile their brightest. Lily's smile nearly reached her ears, but she was the only one smiling properly. Hana's tongue stuck out and her eyes were closed tightly, but somehow they still conveyed her happiness, and Severus' mildly annoyed and disappointed expression directed towards her was what made the picture.

The excitement then soon turned into fatigue, and Mr and Mrs Evans helped the three friends set up an air mattress in Lily's room for Severus. Barely had their heads touched the pillows did they fall asleep, faces pressed deep into their pillows and limbs tangled messily in their limbs. The stars twinkled brightly in the sky, just enough for Mrs Evans to be able to see the three children's sleeping faces when she came to make sure they were all tucked in and comfortable. And they stayed asleep all through the night—for the most part.

Hana and Lily were woken up by the smell of freshly baked Christmas cookies from the kitchen and the screech coming from the bathroom. Petunia came running down the hall complaining about her shampoo being odd and it took all of Hana's self-control not to burst out in laughter. As Lily went to console her, Hana grabbed a pillow and smacked Severus until he woke up cursing and threatening to hex her. Lily found them moments later, engaged in quite a violent pillow fight, and she broke them apart to announce that breakfast was ready.

Filled to the brim with pancakes, orange juice and numerous handfuls of berries, Hana asked if Mr and Mrs Evans could take them to the Christmas market. It was a fervent yes from Mrs Evans, and she shooed the kids upstairs to get dressed and ready to leave. Petunia stayed home with Mr Evans, grumbling about not wanting to spend time with 'freaks', and Severus almost wanted to ask if he could stay as well, but Hana and Lily pushed him out the door as soon as he'd grabbed his coat. He swung it on as they walked out into the snow, and he wrapped the blue scarf Hana had given him last Christmas around his neck. Hana had her blue wool coat around her shoulders, an ivory coloured scarf around her neck, and covering her ears was a pair of earmuffs that had surely seen better days. Lily jammed her taupe coloured beret on her head and pulled on a long, brown tweed coat as she exited the house. However, she realised that she'd forgotten her scarf once in the car, so Hana tugged off her own and threw it at her. 

Lily got in the front seat and let Hana and Severus have some wiggle room in the back as they drove into town. The day was illuminated with that special cold, the pale light only winter's sun could give. The ploughs had passed in the night, creating four foot high snowbanks beside the streets, and children climbed atop them while their parents kept a watchful eye. 

The market was a hustle and bustle of hundreds of people trying to get in their last bit of Christmas shopping. There were the usual street vendors that switched up their refreshing iced drinks for cups of hot chocolate or newspaper cones filled with roasted chestnuts. The chatter was loud, and the three friends had to shout to hear each other, but the deafening sounds were part of the experience. Lily snapped a few pictures of Hana attempting to eat an entire handful of chestnuts in one go, an attempt which failed miserably, and she caught a few pictures of Hana trying to stuff some chestnuts in Severus' face, to no avail. 

Lily, Hana and Severus went from booth to booth, Mrs Evans trailing not far behind, looking at all the handmade items and the packaged sweets that the vendors had on display. Lily ended up buying three bags filled with sugar cookies and Hana contented herself with buying a new pair of fluffy golden-yellow earmuffs that Severus said she looked daft in. It was around lunchtime when they'd finished their tour of the market, and Hana insisted that they stop by a small grocery store to get a few things. The warmth of the store was suffocating by contrast to the cold outside, and Hana rolled out a cart and shoved her coat inside. Lily jumped in, much to her mother's dismay, and Hana rolled Lily around as she searched for the ingredients she needed to make her mother's Christmas cake. Even Severus joined in, albeit in an annoying sort of way, as he spent most of their time in the store standing at the end of the cart, weighing it down and purposefully making it harder for Hana to drive it.

The ride back home was like a sugar-induced roller coaster ride. Lily had cracked open the sugar cookies and stuffed her face, and when they got back to Lily's house, Hana stuffed her face with the gingerbread cookies that Mrs Evans had made. Severus and Lily then watched as Hana made her mother's traditional Christmas cake like a pro. Of course, they couldn't get out of it without throwing a bit of flour at each other, but that was beside the point. The fluffy vanilla cake came out near perfect, and when it was cool, Hana whipped up some cream with sugar and a splash of vanilla extract. Severus split the cake in half since he had the best eye, and Lily put on the whipped cream in the centre and on top as Hana chopped up some fresh strawberries.

After dinner, they'd devoured nearly the entirety of the cake, leaving just enough for Mr and Mrs Evans, and Petunia, regrettably, and then once again fell into a deep sleep. However, this time, no one woke up during the night, and when they awoke, it was Christmas morning. The house smelled like hot chocolate and freshly baked blueberry muffins, and Lily, Hana and Severus all rushed down the stairs, tripping over their own limbs, to the living room and the enormous Christmas tree. Petunia had woken up early to open all her presents first, and for once Lily didn't even complain. Instead, she tossed Hana and Severus the gifts that she'd got them and watched as they tore through the wrapping.

Hana immediately put on the handmade jumper that Lily and her mother had made together. It was a deep blue and a copper-coloured 'H' was emblazoned at the front. Severus had a similar one, which he too put on immediately, and his was dark greek with a pale grey 'S'. Mrs Evans pulled out a maroon sweater with a golden 'L' at the front for Lily to wear, and the three of them wore the jumpers all day.

Hana crawled all the way to the Christmas tree and threw the two gifts towards her friends. Lily barely caught hers, and ended up fumbling with it for a while until it steadied in her hands. By that time, Severus had already opened a box with brand new crystal phials for potions—he'd been complaining about his glass phials being stained, and Hana had had enough. Meanwhile, as Severus examined the phials in awe, Lily tore open a box containing a gorgeous summer yukata. She complained about Hana having spent so much money on her and Severus, but the girl shrugged and waved it off, telling Lily not to think about it too much.

Severus begrudgingly went to the tree and threw two boxes wrapped in brown paper towards Lily and Hana. For some reason, Hana decided to use the ribbon and the paper as a makeshift hat, but it didn't last long. Severus ripped it off her head with a sigh as she opened the gift. Hana burst out laughing. Much like she'd done last year, Severus had gifted her with a deep green scarf and a note that read, "I don't owe you anything." Lily laughed too as she opened her gift from Severus, and it was followed by a, "Suppose this is what I get for writing too much." A triple set of self-replenishing quills were in the box, and Lily couldn't have been happier.

Then the moment that Severus had long been dreading arrived, and out came the radio and the Christmas carols. Mr and Mrs Evans sang a particularly riveting version of 'Baby, It's Cold Outside' while they were making dinner. They danced around the kitchen together, and a faraway look came to Hana's eyes as she remembered the last time she'd seen her parents dance together. Severus punched her on the shoulder upon seeing the look on her face, and she smiled gently at him in thanks. Meanwhile, Lily had already changed the tune and put on a particularly distasteful version of 'Ave Maria', which she and Hana purposefully sang off-key to annoy Severus. Far too aware of her horrible singing, Lily stopped after finishing hers and Hana's rendition of 'Ave Maria', but Hana went on to sing some more, mostly absent-minded, as she helped Severus pick up all the wrapping paper they'd tossed everywhere. She sang the only Christmas song she'd ever bothered to learn by heart—'Blue Christmas'—but sang it much better than she'd done in the Great Hall the year prior. Lily even gave her a far too fierce round of applause.

By the time all the wrapping paper was tossed into the bin, lunchtime had come around. Having eaten nothing but several mugs of hot chocolate, Lily, Severus and Hana devoured the food that Mrs Evans had prepared for them. And as Hana sat at the table and served Lily and Severus some of the sausage rolls, it dawned on her that this had been her first Christmas spent with others since her mother had passed. It was a strange sort of feeling, a mixture of grief and happiness swirling about her mind. However, looking at Severus, at Lily and her parents, the happiness swelled—for it was the first time in seven years Hana felt like had a family.


	38. Holiday Letters

Yo Hana,

First of all, I will CHERISH this stuffed sheep you sent to me. It's fluffy and huge and I love it. Bet you're going to love what I got you more, though!

Anyway, I hope you're having a good Christmas and that Severus isn't bringing you down too much. My mother, on the other hand, has been, as per usual. The number of times I had to close the kitchen window before we froze to death—I swear. Oh, and my aunt smells like cabbage this time. Correction—the entire house smells like cabbage.

So, if I come back smelling like cabbage rolls, you'll know why.

From Noah,  
The boy who smells like a boiled vegetable

* * *

Dear Hana,

I hope you're having a wonderful Christmas. The boys and I miss you—mostly I do since you're the only rational human I seem to know anymore. I've already stopped Sirius from making Peter drink leech juice twice.

On another note, you'll be glad to know that I haven't had too many issues with my transformations, and that's because of what you told me. I listened to your advice and told the boys about my... furry little problem. Apparently they already knew and were waiting for me to tell them. I didn't tell them that you already knew though, so you might have to deal with that when you come back.

Best wishes,

Remus

* * *

Hana, how's the craic?

Please tell me that you're making Severus have a good time, 'cause I'm pretty sure that you and Lily can have yourselves a quare good night and that boy needs a little joy in his life.

I hope you like what I got you for Christmas. I'll have to teach you how to play it properly, and maybe when you're good enough I'll have you over to play with my family, eh? Maybe you can even use it to play us some songs from Japan.

Anyway, that's that, loveen, don't want to take up too much of your time stuffing your face with gingerbread. Oh, and bring me some of them, will ya?

Slán go fóill,  
Flynn

* * *

Oi Snowflake!

You're missing out on all the fun! Nearly convinced Peter to drink leech juice on a dare before Rem butted in. Did you sow some common sense in that boy's head? If you did, get it out. He was much more fun last year.

Thanks for the records, by the way! You'll be getting James and mine's gifts for you when you get back—you're gonna love them, guaranteed! Hope you also got decent presents from everyone else, too—can't have Christmas without good presents.

Well, I've got to go for now—James is setting off dungbombs in the Slytherin common room.

Have a good one, Snowflake,  
Sirius

* * *

Hi Hana,

Happy Christmas!

I don't really know what to say, actually. James just said that I should write to you, so I am.

Anyway, thank you for the gift! I didn't expect you to get me one, though. Hope you like what I got you, too.

Happy Christmas, again,  
Peter Pettigrew

* * *

Hey Hana,

Next time, you spend Christmas with us. It's so dreadful without you here! Peter keeps staring at me and Remus keep telling Sirius and me to stop throwing dungbombs into common rooms. Such a drag.

Still, hope you're having fun at Lily's. Mind telling me how she's doing? Maybe ask her to write back to me or something? That'd be great thanks.

James

P.S.: I almost forgot to thank you for your gift! So, uh, thanks! And you're getting yours when you get back. Bye for real, now.


	39. Christmas Tragedy

**BREAKING NEWS: CHRISTMAS TRAGEDY**

_Tragedy has struck both the Wizarding World and the Muggles in Cheshire. At around 4:30 yesterday evening, as reported by hundreds of Muggle bystanders, the Dark Mark of the so-called 'Lord Voldemort' appeared above a small Muggle cottage belonging to a family of four. Muggle authorities, before having their memories successfully altered, reported to Aurors that the family of four had been brutally murdered. The parents seemed to have been found defending their children who, unfortunately, did not survive the encounter either._

_Alongside them, Aurors discovered the severely mutilated body of half-blood Oscar Rhys, a fellow Auror. Rhys is presumed to have entered the home with suspicion of a disturbance and encountered the suspects, which lead to a duel resulting in Rhys' death. Aurors do not have any more leads for the moment but are quick to claim that Lord Voldemort's supposed 'Death Eaters' are responsible for the attack. Famed Auror Alastor Moody confirms this after being to the scene, claiming that Death Eaters put up Lord Voldemort's Dark Mark to show pride._

_Not only does the death of Auror bring great tragedy to the magical community, but it also brings a nearly insurmountable amount of questions and worries. One concerned mother, Irma Hubble, debates whether the Aurors are really able to protect us if they are so easily killed by Lord Voldemort's men. Some even begin to fear the name itself, referring to him as 'He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named' or 'You-Know-Who'. Others insist that Rhys' death bodes ill for the magical community and that he is but the first of many Wizards to fall._

_The Minister for Magic, Eugenia Jenkins, has yet to make a statement in regards to the situation. He has so far maintained that the Aurors were capable of handling the situation, however, since making his last statement, twelve Muggle homes have been ransacked, leading to a total of twenty-four Muggle deaths in only a few months without any sign of slowing. With the deaths that occurred yesterday evening, this brings the total death toll up to twenty-nine individuals._

_Those who aren't concerned with the Auror's capabilities are most certainly concerned with how passive the Minister for Magic has been since the beginning of the war. Bartholomew Adler, Chief Security Editor for our own Daily Prophet, says that despite having competently dealt with the Pure-Blood riots during the Squib Rights Marches of the late 1960s, "the Minister for Magic should stop trying to save face and try to do something about the deaths." It is unconfirmed whether the Minister will be available for comment in the near future._

_In the meantime, head of the Auror's Office, Rufus Scrimgeour asks that they remain vigilant, both in public and indoors. All doors should remain locked, and all businesses should take care to confirm the identity of anyone they deem suspicious. Please call the authorities should you feel threatened by anyone or anything, or fear that someone or something is disturbing the neighbourhood. Scrimgeour insists that "[It] is unlikely that Lord Voldemort and the Death Eaters will start breaking into wizarding homes, but caution is best for the moment until the Minister for Magic makes a statement saying otherwise.]_

_From us at the Daily Prophet, be safe._


	40. Helena Ravenclaw's Wisdom

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey everyone!  
> Sorry for the long wait. It was my first semester at University and I didn't really have the time nor want my fanfictions to distract me, so I held off on writing a lot.  
> However, school is out until the second week of January, so hopefully, I'll have lots more time to write and accumulate chapters to tide you over whilst I'm not writing as much during my Winter semester.
> 
> Love you all ♥

Hana's heart was heavy upon her return to Hogwarts. The weight of the news received in the Daily Prophet only a few days prior did not bode well for the New Year, and Hana felt foolishly guilty for enjoying herself during the holiday. She sighed heavily, looking around at the friends sitting with her on the train. Severus, Lily and Flynn all had at least one Muggle parent, and the slow accumulation of Muggle deaths was starting to take a toll on them. Hana couldn't understand what they were going through, or that what she told herself at least. But while she was young and protected by the walls of Hogwarts, partially blind to the horrors that seemed to happen more and more outside the walls she felt so safe in, Hana was well aware of the danger. Despite the purity of her blood, Hana feared Lord Voldemort regardless, for she was on the side of Muggles, and for that, Hana could very well end up just like Oscar Rhys. It seemed that even Muggle sympathisers would not be tolerated in the world this madman wanted to create.

And so, the train remained silent for most of the trip. Hana absently pet Haru while looking out the window at the passing countryside, and Flynn's mandoline remained untouched. Severus and Noah's noses were deep inside books, but if you looked at their eyes you could tell that they'd been reading the same lines over and over again, unable to take their minds off of what they'd read in the newspaper. Lily's eyes were sad, and they too stared out the window with a vacant expression, only turning to look at the trolley lady to politely decline her offer of sweets. As the conductor announced the final twenty minutes of the journey, the friends began to shuffle around, muttering polite apologies for bumping into them on the way to the door and coming back into the compartment after having changed into their robes. Even the newly completed embroidery on the hem of Hana's cloak couldn't spark any joy inside her.

Dumbledore's beginning of term feast fell on deaf ears. Most of the students in the Great Hall were either too focused on their food or completely out of it, mind wandering back to the horrors in the Daily Prophet. Dumbledore made mention of safety inside the walls of the castle, but that settled very few—many of the students had Muggle parents that remained unsafe and open to more vicious attacks. There was no telling who was going to be attacked next, or when, or if it was going to happen at all. The Minister for Magic hadn't made a statement yet, despite it being over a week since the murders, and the Auror's Office hadn't given out any more information regarding the deaths either. It was like being at the centre of a battle Hana knew little or nothing about. 

Upon returning to their dorms, Hana and Noah found that the Cursed Ice was still there, slowing beginning to creep up atop the entrance of the staircase to the Ravenclaw common room. It was another worry added to the long list of worries swarming Hana's mind. Not only was the outside world threatened by Lord Voldemort and his lackeys, but even inside the castle, the students weren't completely safe. Hana couldn't even think of what would happen if someone got stuck in the ice. Would they freeze to death? Would they simply be encased? There was no way of telling.

Sleep didn't come to Hana when she lay down on her bed. She tossed and turned so much in the night, that Haru had to leave the bed and sleep with Noah to get any rest. Hana kept imagining the murder scene in her mind, constantly rewatching her version of the deaths of those four Muggles and the Auror until she was nauseous. But even when that passed, and her mind started to calm, the image of her friends trapped and frozen to death inside the Cursed Ice plagued her. In either case, the pale, gaunt faces of corpses haunted her until dawn, and she got up to shower without having slept a wink.

"Well, don't you look wonderful," Noah said casually as Hana exited the bathroom.  
"Not now, Noah," Hana sighed.  
"Yeah, sorry, just thought I'd try lightening up the mood a bit."

Hana smiled weakly and sat down at the edge of her bed, absently drying her hair with her wand. Haru came to rub his face against Hana's legs, but she barely responded, gazing ahead at nothing in particular. 

"I'm worried, Noah," Hana said quietly, after a while.  
"Well, there's no point in worrying now. We're at Hogwarts, we're safe."  
"But that's the thing, we're not safe—not completely. There's the Cursed Ice that's so close to crawling up into our common room. Who knows when someone could get caught in it and freeze to death? We don't even know what caused it, let alone have a counter-curse!"

Noah heaved a deep sigh and gently squeezed Hana's shoulder. There was no arguing with her—she was right. The ice had begun to creep into the archway to the staircase up Ravenclaw Tower, and it inched further in when students walked beneath it. Everyone scurried off in fear, including Noah and Hana, who had better things to do than getting caught by magical pain in the arse ice—like eating breakfast and getting the newspaper's tales of doom out of mind.

"Did ya do the readin' for History of Magic?" Flynn asked as he went to stuff a forkful of beans in his mouth.   
"What do you think?" Noah scoffed. "Can't be bothered to do schoolwork on Christmas."  
"Liar," Hana chuckled. "I'm sure your mother made you read that right beside that window of hers."  
"Oh, shut up, Hana."  
"I didn't do the reading, for real. Too busy, sort of forgot."  
"Oh, right, how was Christmas with Lily and Severus?" Flynn asked.  
"Best Christmas I've ever had."

While Hana might have had the best Christmas of her life this year, History of Magic class was everything but the best. Despite having Lily, Flynn and Noah to goof around with and doodle in each other's textbooks, Professor Cuthbert Binns was about as interesting as a brick wall. It took all of Flynn's willpower to get Hana and Noah to sit down instead of leaving, and when the class finally ended, neither of them could have gotten out faster.

"Think yer gonna make it through Transfiguration with those poor sods?" Flynn asked as they crossed the hall. He'd spotted James, Sirius and Remus going through the opposite hallway.  
"Hopefully," Hana sighed. "At least they pay attention in Transfiguration."

Flynn and Hana shared a strange handshake that still confused Noah, then Lily and Flynn headed off towards their own class. Hana sat next to Remus and caught a paper aeroplane on its way towards her forehead. James and Sirius greeted her with a loud laugh and mock applause at her catch just as McGonagall waltzed into the classroom and kindly asked everyone to shut up. When she began her lesson, Hana, Remus, James and Sirius were more than happy to hear that she'd be covering more about the transformation formula.

When the four friends emerged from the classroom James was ranting about not having enough information for their plan, which prompted laughter from both Hana and Noah. The four friends separated once they'd reached the Great Hall, however, and the James' rant came to an end. As Hana went to turn towards the Ravenclaw table, Sirius grabbed her by the arm and pulled her towards the Gryffindor table.

"Hey, I can walk on my own, let go of my arm," Hana said, rolling her eyes.  
"Shut up, this is important."

Hana wrenched her arm out of Sirius' grip. He turned to her abruptly.

"Nothing is that important, Sirius. Just ask and I'll come, but I don't need to be pulled around like a dog on a leash."  
"Fine," he sighed harshly. "Can you come sit with us?"  
"If this is about Remus, I already know."  
"Of course you do. And you didn't think to tell us?"  
"Sirius, that's not my place to say," Hana said incredulously.  
"What—like it's not your place to tell us you're spending Christmas with Snivellus instead of us?"

Hana's eyebrows furrowed and she shook her head in disbelief.

"What are you on, Sirius?" Hana said, exasperated. "There's no point getting angry about that—I can very well spend my holidays with whoever I want."  
"But it's—"  
"Trouble in paradise?"

Sirius and Hana both turned sharply to look at Avery and Mulciber, who were glowering down at them. 

"Funny, I thought you fancied that red-headed paddy."  
"Shut up, Mulciber," Hana said sharply. "I haven't got time for either of you."

Hana glared at Avery and Mulciber, then at Sirius as she turned and stalked off towards the Ravenclaw table. She plopped down on the seat across from Noah and began stacking slices of ham of her plate in quite a violent manner. Noah stared at her with a concerned look on his face but said nothing until she looked up at him, mouth full of food.

"What?"  
"The entire Great Hall saw you having a row with Sirius Black, that's what."  
"Yes, I'm aware."  
"Hana..."  
"Ara, dōzo! Ranchi wa anshin shite tabe raremasen ka?"  
"You can eat your lunch in peace when you've told me what your row was about."

A loud sigh escaped Hana's mouth. She leaned forward and dropped her elbows on the table, her annoyance quite evident with the amount of force they hit the table.

"He was angry that I didn't tell them about Remus, and then he got all angry that I spent Christmas with Severus instead of at Hogwarts with them."  
"I mean, it is a little strange."  
"Excuse me?"  
"Well, a boy sleeping over at a house with just two girls—three if you count Petunia—it's a little weird, no?"  
"In what sort of backwards society do you live in, Noah?" Hana said. She stuck her fork in her mashed potatoes and poked around at them for a bit before standing. "Severus can very well do as he pleases, and so can I."  
"Hana, come on, where're you going?" Noah said with a sigh.  
"Class. I'm not hungry."  
"Class isn't for another half hour—Hana!"

Noah's calls fell on deaf ears. By the time he'd called out her name, Hana was already at the door to the Great Hall and violently pushing it open. She strode down the hallways, careful to avoid slamming into people and swerved to the left as she reached the main staircase. There was no one in the classroom except for a ghost who was sitting at one of the desks and reading a book. The loud noise of Hana's stomping footsteps broke the ghost's concentration.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to disturb you, My Lady" Hana said quickly.  
"You did not disturb me," Helena Ravenclaw said politely. "Please, do not leave on the account of a ghost."  
"Just because you're a ghost doesn't mean I have the right to disrespect you."

The woman smiled slightly and stood, gently closing the book she'd been reading.

"That is very kind of you."  
"Yeah, well, you're about the only person who thinks that right now," Hana said, heaving a sigh. She sat down in her usual spot and took out her books. "Well, maybe not, but it sure feels that way."  
"Tell me, what is it that troubles you?"  
"I have certain friends that don't get along with some other friends."  
"They dislike each other?"  
"That's an understatement," Hana scoffed. "They're at each other's throats if they're in the same room; they don't like it when I spend time with my other friends—and I seem to be in a constant argument about it. I just want it all to stop—why can't they let me be friends with whoever I want?"  
"It seems that your kindness has gotten in the way," Helena said serenely. "I do not think it is in your best interest to flip a coin and hope that it lands on its side."  
"But I can't just shun one side of this metaphorical coin. They're all my friends."  
"Maybe now you are willing to suffer for your friends like this, but one day you will realise that you need to do what is right for yourself."

There was a faraway look in the woman's eye. Hana could swear she could see tears glistening.

"One day, you will have to choose between pleasing everyone or keeping yourself sane," Helena stated. She floated past Hana, leaving a cold trail of air in her wake. "I hope for your sake, that you choose to save your sanity."


	41. Beverly Cadwallader

"You're here early, for once."  
"Yes, well, I had a row in the Great Hall and wanted to leave."  
"Ah, I heard about that. Shame I wasn't there to see it. I would have loved to see the anger on Black's face when you told him off."

A short and breathy laugh escaped Hana's lips as Severus sat down beside her. The smile that followed was most welcome, but it disappeared just as James, Sirius and Remus walked in. Hana and Sirius locked eyes as if the world was insisting that this nonsense go on. While James and Remus were paying them no mind—as they were more focused on Noah—Sirius and Hana stared at each other with nothing but contempt in their eyes. Even after James had pulled Sirius down into his seat, effectively ending the glaring contest, Hana didn't calm. The disdain on the girl's face remained even after Severus tried to snap her out of it. It was out of character for Hana, this disgust shining in her eyes, and Severus would be lying if he said it didn't bother him. 

However, the anger shining in Sirius' eyes wasn't out of character at all. As he glared at Hana over his shoulder, James—much to Hana and Severus' surprise—attempted to keep Sirius focused and away from the behaviour that would end up causing yet another scene. But the same behaviour came from James as the class went on, and soon, both of them were giving Hana and Severus the stink eye. Hana paid them no mind, or at least tried to, and focused on the lesson at hand, but Severus couldn't help but smirk. It was somehow satisfying to see them so angry.

Sirius was near fuming in his seat. Seeing the smirk on Snivellus' face was making him angry, and it was even worse when they'd paired off to work. Hana and Severus were sharing a textbook, and their shoulders were touching, and he hated seeing them scribble each other notes and the pointed looks that followed. He didn't like how Severus—a supposedly evil Slytherin—stared at his nice little Ravenclaw with anything but contempt in his eyes, and he hated how Hana stared right back at him, eyes shining.

The smirk on Severus' face and the worry on Hana's had disappeared by the end of class. They were both replaced by the brightest smiles they could muster which, in turn, made Sirius fume as much as his body could tolerate. While James was still adamant on preventing Sirius from making yet another public scene, Sirius wasn't having any of it. He followed Hana and Severus on their way to Charms class, and James, Remus and Noah couldn't help but follow. The two unlikely friends remained shoulder to shoulder even upon meeting up with Lily and Flynn—which subsequently made Sirius all the more angry, and James all the more pleased. Hana's smile grew as Flynn said some nonsense, and Lily's did as well, and then Severus replied something that made all of them laugh.

Despite the knowledge that he'd be late to his next class, Sirius dragged Remus, James and Noah all the way to Charms. Much to his dismay—and surprise, yet again—Hana and Severus didn't separate when taking their seats. Instead, Lily and Flynn took double desks together, as did Hana and Severus. And while Sirius was busy fuming, Remus and Noah turned to leave before they were late to their classes. James stayed behind, watching Hana as she excitedly told a story to her three friends until Professor Pulvis shooed him and Sirius away. He attempted to calm Sirius' anger on the way to their class, but it soon became evident that that was near impossible. Sirius began ranting, and the more he ranted the more it got James fired up just as bad. 

Meanwhile, Hana and Flynn were bent over in laughter. Lily shook her head in disbelief at Severus' use of vulgar language but was laughing all the same, to which Severus' merely rolled his eyes. When Professor Pulvis made it to the front of the class, she called for everyone to take out their textbooks and, much like the previous class, Hana took out her brand new, scribbled-in textbook for her and Severus to share. Tempesta Pulvis spent the next hour trying to convince one specific student that Banshees were in fact different from Dementors, and Hana, Lily, Flynn and Severus left the class with their heads filled with every possible explanation as to why that was. The student still hadn't understood.

The four friends sat together at the Ravenclaw table for supper, completely unaware of Sirius' and James' glaring from across the room. Noah joined them, but he remained mostly quiet, even as Flynn tried to teach Hana and Lily an Irish mouth song with little to no success. He provided a bit of table drumming, at Flynn's request, but Hana grew worried at the boy's sudden silence. Usually, Noah would be running his mouth, cursing his incapability to learn Flynn's songs or his out-of-sync drumming. However, the near-complete silence from the boy was concerning, and the look that Severus gave her wasn't helping, instantly reminding her of the discussion they'd had before Christmas break.

As Hana and Noah were getting ready for bed that same evening, Hana couldn't help but wonder about the things Severus and the Grey Lady had said to her. So many questions were swirling in her mind that she didn't even realise Noah was talking to her until he threw a pillow at her head.

"You look worried," Noah said, catching the pillow Hana threw back at him.  
"Could say the same about you," Hana said. "You worried about what happened with Sirius?"

Noah nodded.

"It's nothing to worry about. It was just Sirius being kuchikitanai."1  
"What's that supposed to mean?"

Hana turned to look at Noah. He was staring at her now, and Hana couldn't quite make out his expression.

"Why is everyone so touchy, today?"  
"Shì a—I'm just not a fan of you guys arguing, all right?"  
"I know, but I can't help it sometimes," Hana said, sitting cross-legged on her thick blue duvet. "He just pokes me the wrong way sometimes."  
"The expression is 'to rub the wrong way.'" Noah sat down on his bed and pulled his stuffed sheep up to his chin. "Were you two arguing about Severus?"  
"Not at first. He initially got mad because I didn't tell him that Remus was, well, you know. And then he spun it somehow so that he got angry at me for not telling him that I was spending Christmas with Severus and Lily."  
"So, it was about Severus."  
"Fine, yes, I suppose it was about Severus," Hana sighed. "I just don't understand why he gets all worked up about it. Can't I have other friends?"  
"Well, yeah."  
"There you go—"  
"But not Severus."  
"You do realise that they hate him for absolutely no reason, right?" Hana said with a huff. She crawled to the top of her bed and slid under the covers. "They just decided that they were going to be knobs when they heard 'Slytherin'—there's nothing wrong with Slytherin."  
"Not inherently, no. But I mean—"  
"Please don't tell me you're taking their side on this?"

The dejected look on Hana's face made Noah reconsider his answer. He paused for a moment, and sighed, then continued in a softer voice than he was using before.

"All I'm saying is that it's true that Severus has started making friends that none of us likes. I mean, Mulciber, Avery? Aren't they the ones that were bullying Flynn when you met him?"  
"I don't disagree with anything you just said, but if I stop being friends with Severus just because of the friends he's making, that makes me just as bad as Sirius and James—and I'm not. Besides—" Hana fluffed her pillow and stared at the canopy above her bed—"no matter how much he tries to deny it, we're good friends."

Hana smiled softly, thinking of all the times they'd shared just the two of them, especially the times where Severus spoke about himself willingly and the times that he listened to Hana talk without making a sarcastic comment. 

Noah sighed and didn't say anything else. He nodded and lay down on his bed, pulling the covers all the way up to his and his sheep's chins. Hana smiled and coaxed Haru up to bed, and they both settled down before Hana closed the curtains to her four-poster with a wave of her wand. 

It took a fair amount of time before Hana could fall asleep. Her conversation with Noah and the row she had with Sirius were still swirling in her mind by the time sleep claimed her. However, she was awoken much faster than she had fallen asleep. It was a mere two hours later when, like a cat in ice-water, Hana woke up with every sense urging her to claw her way to standing. A scream had pierced the night, the kind of scream that made your blood run cold, pierced the brain and sent adrenaline coursing through your veins. The last time Hana had heard a scream like this, her mother never came home again. 

In an almost fight or flight response, Hana clawed her way to a stand as Noah and the others were stirring awake. She paused Haru aside and ran out of the bedroom, not bothering to put on a robe for the cold. Noah, Nathan, Tulip and Violet had heard the scream as well, and as Hana was leaving the dorm, they sat up, confused. Hana nearly tripped over her own feet and tumbled down the stairs on her way out, but she steadied herself on the walls and kept going.

There was nothing strange going on in the common room. The moonlight was being filtered through the pale blue window hangings, the stars on the ceiling indicated half-past two in the morning, and the goblin statue in the corner of the room resumed an unfinished song as Hana bolted past it and slammed the common room door open. Down the stairs she went again, breath getting heavier and heavier the longer she maintained her sprint. 

Upon reaching the base of Ravenclaw Tower, the air was far colder than it had been only a few hours prior. Her toes melted frost that was glimmering on the ground, her breath fogged up ahead of her. Above, the cursed ice had crept up through the archway and was now several feet inside the stairwell, and the longer Hana stayed below and stared at it, the more and more it spread. A little more than just slightly scared, Hana bolted away from the entrance, but she stopped herself dead in her tracks once she spotted more ice ahead. Ironically, the sight chilled her to the bone. 

Beverly Cadwallader was staring straight back at Hana. She was white as chalk, skin crystallised beneath the cursed ice that was slowly encasing the rest of her dark hair. Her eyes and mouth were still, wide open in an expression of fear. There was no way of telling whether she was still conscious or not. Beverly wasn't blinking, she wasn't moving. Morbidly curious, Hana took a step closer to the ice. She could see the pea-sized ice crystals growing on Beverly's skin, the girl's breath fogging up the inside of the ice. And as Hana leaned in again, Noah came out of nowhere and pulled her back. Hana could feel the chill of the ice on her nightgown. 

"What the hell, Hana!?" Noah exclaimed.  
"Sorry—just curious," Hana muttered.  
"Curiosity killed the cat."  
"Oh shut it, Noah. Now's not the time. Bev—Bev she's—"  
"She appears to be frozen."

Professor McGonagall came out of nowhere, as usual. She was clad in emerald green robes and a bonnet of the same colour, and she looked far more worried than anyone standing around the frozen Beverly Cadwallader.

"Professor," a first-year Ravenclaw muttered. "Ice keeps getting bigger."

Sure enough, the longer the students gathered around Beverly and the ice, the more expansion it took on. McGonagall ushered the students away from the ice just as Headmaster Dumbledore arrived in glimmering silver robes. Moments later, the school Matron arrived, scurrying along the floors with great urgency. The three of them spoke a short ways away from the students, leaving Hana and Noah to wonder just how serious this actually was. After a few moments, they returned to the students. There was a dark look in the Headmaster's eyes. Hana wasn't fond of it.

"Poppy, do what you can to remove Miss Cadwallader from the ice. I'm afraid that if she spends any more time encased inside she will not make it. Professor McGonagall, wake the Gryffindors. Ravenclaw Tower is no longer safe for students."

Hana's heart dropped to her stomach. 

"You will have to share rooms with Gryffindor students, as the ice has not travelled that far yet."  
"What if it does?" Hana asked, fear etched on her features.  
"You will simply have to hope that it does not, Miss Yukimura."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: bitchy


	42. Fifth-Floor Freezer

Hana wished that she could have enjoyed the Gryffindor common room. It wasn't that the Ravenclaw common room wasn't cosy, but the Gryffindors took it to an entirely new level. There were squishy armchairs everywhere and during the day, students sat in them, basking in the sunlight going through the window hangings that bathed the room in hues of gold and red. The fireplace was far larger than the one inside her common room, well used, with the scent of firewood lingering in the air. She wanted to sit at the deep mahogany table to study, to read, but for now, Hana needed to sleep, for the Ravenclaw common room had become too dangerous to access. 

Much like her own dormitory, the Gryffindor dorms were equipped with a wood-burning stove at the centre of the room, surrounded by a four-poster bed for each of the students. The windows were set deep, full of personal belongings and a water jug for those who should need a drink in the middle of the night. The beds were covered in red eiderdowns with red paisley curtains hanging from the canopy. Lily's side of the room was cluttered, in a homey sort of way, filled with Quidditch paraphernalia, photographs of her friends and tons of clothes that she'd neglected to hang inside her wardrobe. From underneath each four-poster, a smaller cot had been pulled out for the extra students, and it was on this surprisingly comfortable cot that Hana stared at the plain ceiling—she found herself missing the golden-painted stars forming to tell her she had been awake far too long.

Hana woke up the next morning feeling less than refreshed, as did many other Ravenclaw students going down Gryffindor tower that morning. The dark circles underneath Hana's eyes were far more pronounced than usual, and it made her ordinarily messy uniform seem worse than it actually was—for the first time, Flitwick told her to straighten up. However, Hana didn't listen. Her mind was far more concerned with the ice trapping her common room and the person she and Noah had seen hovering over it months ago. Surely, this person had to be the reason behind the cursed ice's appearance.

By the time Hana's mind stopped wandering, her breakfast and tea had gone cold, and it was time to head to class. Noah, concerned, followed Hana closely as they made their way to Herbology, and he made a point to Sirius, James and Remus to not engage her. Sirius argued, of course, but resigned himself to listening to Noah upon seeing the faraway look on Hana's face. She wasn't listening to Professor Sprout at all, mind returning to all the questions it wouldn't let go. Who was the person in the hallway? How would they get rid of the ice? What were the Cursed Vaults? What would happen this summer? Would Voldemort kill again? Was anyone truly safe, here and outside of Hogwarts?

"Hana... Hana."

The girl blinked and shook her head. Finally, the sounds of stools being put away could be heard, and she could see students filing out of the greenhouse.

"I'm all right."  
"Yeah, right," Noah scoffed, picking up his and Hana's things. "You've been spaced out all morning. Even Sirius didn't have the heart to argue with you."  
"I'm just thinking. You know how I get."  
"Quiet and moody? No. You get excited when you're thinking about something." He was silent for a while as they walked back to the castle. "You're thinking about the ice again."

Hana nodded.

"It has to do with that person we saw in the hallway before the holidays, I'm sure of it," she said. "It can't be a coincidence."  
"I agree, but there are more important things to worry about."  
"Like what? Exams?" Hana scoffed. "Noah, I'm far more concerned with the fact that Bev might die if Madam Pomfrey and the other professors can't deal with the ice. That and the fact that I can't sleep in my own bed. And my books—all my books are still in my bag."  
"Your books?" Noah laughed. "Of course."  
"Hey, don't read too far into that—I'm still more concerned with Bev."

Noah stopped in his tracks mere moments after Hana had spoken. In an instant, she had disappeared, leaving the boy to wonder what sort of nonsense the girl was up to.

Hana had backtracked into the previous corridor and went up the stairs two at a time, reaching the fifth-floor at record speed. Standing at the top of the stairs was the caretaker, keeping a watchful eye on students that may trespass. Hana cursed under her breath and thought for a moment, carefully taking her wand out from her robes. She pointed her wand at a suit of armour nearby and, using one of the spells she'd learned in Charms, made it begin to float away. This caught the caretaker's attention, who immediately left his post to run after the floating pieces of armour.

The air was far colder at the top of the stairs, and Hana found herself shivering even after only seconds of walking down the hallway. At the far end of the fifth-floor corridor was where most of the ice was concentrated, and it grew ever-so-slightly as Hana approached it. It shone in the candlelight, almost unnaturally so, and Hana wondered what kind of curse this could be—there was no spell that she'd learnt that made ice like this.

"What're you doing here?"

Startled, Hana turned around, wand pointed straight ahead. Standing in front of her was another student, much older than she was, clad in Gryffindor robes. Her blue eyes were keen and there was a haughty look on her face that made Hana want to hex her.

"What are _you_ doing here?" Hana said. "I don't recall _anyone_ being allowed here, not even a seventh-year."

The girl smirked.

"Clever little bird aren't you?" the woman sneered. "Nice little trick, distracting the Squib like that. What do you want?"  
"Like you said, I'm clever. So, I'm not stupid enough to tell you why I'm here."  
"Very well. But know this."

The woman approached Hana, and bent down to whisper into her ear.

"You don't want to get in my way."

With that, the red-haired witch left, and Hana let out a breath she didn't know she was holding. A frown made its way onto her face, and she glared at the place where the girl was standing. 

"Well," she muttered to herself, "if you have nothing to do with this, then my name is Merlin."

Deadset on proving herself right, Hana ran down the staircase that she came up on, ignoring the caretaker that was still trying to grab onto pieces of floating armour. She went straight to the Great Hall, plucked an apple off of the Ravenclaw table, and pointed herself beside Remus, who was peacefully eating his lunch with James and Sirius.

"I need you, now."  
"Oh, Snowflake, naughty," Sirius said sarcastically.  
"Shut up, Sirius or I'll take your tongue out," Hana said sternly.  
"Touchy, touchy. What's got your wand in a knot?"  
"Mind your own business, Sirius, I haven't the patience today. Besides, I'm sure Remus won't be able to keep a secret from you anyway."  
"She's got a point," James noted.  
"Rem, please?" Hana insisted.

Something flashed beneath the surface of Hana's stern expression, and Remus couldn't help but try to investigate it. But it was too late, the emotion disappeared before he could identify it, and it left him far more curious than he'd care to admit.

"Sure," Remus said, putting his fork down and standing up. "Anything."  
"Oh, come on, Rem, we've got a free period!" Sirius argued.  
"Yeah, we were supposed to knock some sense into that halfwit Berner!" James added.  
"Well, no matter how lovely that sounds, I'm going to have to sit out on this one."  
"Boo!" Sirius called. "Tearing it up with _Snivellus_ and now you're stealing, Rem? What else are you—"  
"Look, Sirius, I don't care that you hate me, right now, all right?" Hana snapped. "I'm ready to hear an apology whenever you've gotten your wand out of your arse, but until then, I'd appreciate it if you'd stop whining to me like some spoiled princess that didn't get their beauty sleep."

There was a series of quiet giggling from nearby. Lily and a few other Gryffindors had overheard them, and it made Sirius turn beet red.

"Good, now, Rem?"  
"Right with you."

Hana turned on her heels and waltzed out of the Great Hall with Remus right behind her. They walked together in silence until they were out of everyone's sight, and ducked behind a statue near the entrance to the Courtyard.

"Sorry, I know this is a bit weird," Hana apologised. "I just don't want anyone overhearing."  
"It's about the ice, isn't it?" Remus asked, raising an eyebrow.  
"Don't give me that look—what are you, Noah? Look, I just want my common room back, all right?"  
"And it has nothing to do with this being a giant walking puzzle for you to solve?"

The girl hesitated for a moment, but shook her head.

"No, look, it's for Bev and the common room," Hana insisted.  
"Sure, sure," Remus said with a smirk, clearly unconvinced.  
"Okay, fine, maybe it had little to do with this being a giant walking puzzle for me to solve, all right? But that's not important right now."

Remus laughed, making Hana sigh.

"I need you to identify someone for me," Hana said.  
"Me? Wouldn't Lily be better for this? I mean, she does know half the school."  
"I know, but her and Noah have already told me to drop this about a million times, so I couldn't exactly tell them that I snuck up to the fifth-floor earlier."  
"Of course you did," Remus sighed. "All right, who is it?"  
"Seventh-year, kinda tall. She's got red hair, blue eyes and thinks that she owns the place?"

Hana put her hand up to Remus' mouth as a first-year walked by. He stared at Remus and Hana for a moment, then ran off after Hana shooed him rather rudely.

"Rakepick," Remus said, moving Hana's hand. "Patricia Rakepick."  
"See, I knew I could count on you."  
"Why did you need to identify her? Did you see her up on the fifth-floor?"  
"I did. She threatened me too," Hana said. "Seems like a real charmer."  
"Do you think she's the one responsible for the ice?"  
"I don't know. If it's her, I don't think she's doing it alone."  
"What do you mean?"  
"Noah and I saw someone in the same place before the holidays," Hana explained. "But whoever it was, they looked a lot shorter than Rakepick."  
"You think there's two of them?" Remus asked, eyes wide.  
"At least." Hana sighed and shook her head, placing her hands on Remus' shoulders. "Look, don't worry about it, all right? The next full moon is in five days—you've got to focus on that, okay?"

Remus sighed and slumped back.

"You going to be there, again?"  
"Of course, Rem. I wouldn't miss it."  
"James and Sirius want to help too."  
"Let them. The more we are, the better."  
"Really? I thought you wouldn't have wanted them there."  
"Well, it's true that Sirius and I are having a long-lasting row, but I wouldn't want to stop him from helping you. Despite everything, you're all my friends, you know."

Remus smiled a little, but it was a smile with a twist to it, like the smile of a boy who was determined not to cry. Hana smiled sadly at him as well and stepped forward to wrap her arms around the boy, trapping him in a gentle hug. The gesture was reciprocated, and they stood there for a little while until lunch was over and Hana had to go to class.

"Thank you."  
"Don't thank me, Rem. It's what friends are for."


	43. A Step in the Right Direction

The fading of sunlight hand also meant the fading of heat. Wintry air swirled around Hana, taking every lick of warmth it could. She wrapped her arms tighter around herself, pulling her hanten closed and tucking her chin downward into her jumper. Her breath was no longer visible, as far away from the castle that she was. As Hana walked through the grounds, she felt the snow crunch underfoot. the Whomping Willow came to a staggering halt when Hana dug up the knot in the roots and gave it a firm hit, and she crawled down the frozen tunnel on her way to the shack, which was no warmer inside than out. Wind rattled the guttering and the single pane windows—the dark lullaby of an approaching snowstorm. With time to waste, Hana cleared the debris from the large stone fireplace, and chucked in some pieces of broken tables and walls before setting them alight with a match from a box she'd nicked from Filch's office. The fire burned slowly, providing minimal warmth, and it put itself out almost immediately, a gust of wind from the chimney rushing through it.

Hana sighed and sat back down beside the fireplace, pulling the old dusty 'werewolf' blanket over her legs. It took a short while before Hana heard the approaching noises of Remus, Sirius, Peter and James. Remus gave Hana a thankful smile and squeezed himself under the blanket as well.

"You brought Peter too?" Hana said, sounding worried.  
"When he found out James was going, he insisted," Remus admitted, looking at the boy in question. He was looking everywhere nervously. "Not sure how much help he's going to be though."  
"Give the boy some credit," James defended. "At least he's here, right?"

Hana sighed and nodded. James was right, scared as he was, it was a miracle Peter even made it here without running for the hills.

"So, now what?" Sirius asked, looking to Hana and Remus. "You've been doing this for a lot longer than us."  
"Now, we wait," Hana said.  
"For what?"  
"The moon."  
"And then what?" James asked. "We just take out our wands and make sure no one gets hurt?"  
"Exactly. And that includes Remus."  
"I tend to attack myself if there's nothing else to maul," Remus said with derision.  
"And after?"  
"After I carry him to the Infirmary," Hana said. "Madam Pomfrey always gives me grief about it, so be prepared to get the same."

James and Sirius nodded solemnly, and Hana pulled Peter over. He apologised quietly and sat down with the others.

"I'm sorry."

Hana looked away—it wasn't Peter that had spoken.

"Are you really?" Hana asked, staring directly at Sirius.  
"I am."  
"Then why don't I believe you?"  
"Come on, Hana," James said gently.  
"No, James. If you were truly sorry, then you wouldn't have blown up on me for having spent Christmas with Lily and Severus," Hana said, quietly, but still forceful. "Don't get me wrong, I want to accept your apology—"  
"Then accept it," Sirius said.  
"I can't. I can't, because the last time you said you were sorry, you kept on harassing Severus, kept on giving me grief about being friends with him."  
"She's got a point, mate," James said. "We're giving her grief about it, but I'm not giving Evans any."  
"Right, that's 'cause you're obsessed with her, mate," Sirius chuckled. "Hana's our friend. We protect our own. _Sni_ —Snape isn't safe. He's making friends with Mulciber and Avery, and he's into a whole bunch of dark stuff. Even Noah's started to get worried, you know."

Hana sighed. He wasn't wrong. Noah _had_ expressed his concern over her being friends with Severus, but the conversation had ended quickly and it was never brought up again. Were there still lingering doubts in Noah's mind that he hadn't shared with Hana?

"Severus isn't Mulciber or Avery," Hana reasoned. "At least, so far he hasn't shown me that he is."  
"Right, because he's an open book."  
"You'd be surprised."

Sirius' confusion was only met with a glare—there was no way that Hana was even going to hint at Severus being even remotely open with her. There was no telling what Sirius (or James) would do with that kind of information.

The cold had begun to gnaw at Hana's insides and she half wished that the moon would rise quicker, allowing her to move around and regain some of the heat that she'd lost. Unfortunately, her wish came with some undesired side effects—Remus began to whimper in pain. Peter backed off and hid behind an old armchair almost immediately, while James and Sirius stood up, cautious but not fearful.

"Rem, Rem, I know it's painful, but you're going to be fine," Hana reassured, crawling from out of the blanket to crouch in front of Remus. "And remember—"  
"I'm not the one who hurts you," Remus continued. "The werewolf is."  
"That's right." The boy's eyes slowly began to turn yellow. "You're not the monster, Rem, okay?"

Remus nodded vigorously as the last wisp of hazel left his eyes. Hana watched, worried, as the boy's pale and sallow skin split like tree bark. Wiry black hairs sprouted, and his bones moved under his skin like mechanical snakes; audible cracks filled the quiet night and a snapping maw of razor-sharp teeth snapped at the first thing that moved.

"Hana, move back!" Sirius roared.  
"Shut up, Sirius," Hana shouted back. She jumped out of the jaws' path quickly and ran over to protect Peter. "I've been doing this a little longer than you have!"  
"Oh, don't play the experience card on me!" Sirius sent a fairly useless Stunning Spell towards the werewolf, which merely stalled it enough for Sirius to get out of the way of the claws. "You do—"  
"Guys, this is not the time!" James bellowed, attempting to stun the werewolf. "Keep the quarrelling married couple nonsense for later!"  
"Gross!" Hana and Sirius chimed.

They shared a quick glare before Hana ducked to avoid getting slashed. She hid behind the furniture like Peter, and waved for Sirius and Remus to do the same. As they ducked behind the furniture, Hana pointed her hand ahead and muttered a few words. Nothing seemed to happen.

"Oh, come on. Work, you stupid spell."

Once again, nothing seemed to happen, and as the werewolf began to sniff around the air for disturbances, a light shimmer seemed to have crossed the air in front of the four friends. 

"Thank Merlin," Hana sighed.  
"What was—"

Hana whipped her hand over Sirius' mouth.

" _Protego Totalum_ ," the girl whispered. "It's a standard protection spell."  
"We're not meant to learn that until next year," James noted.  
"I know. That's why it was a pain to cast."  
"Brilliant, Hana. You're brilliant," Sirius said, removing the girl's hand from his face.  
"But it doesn't shield sound, so shut up."

Sirius rolled his eyes but obeyed her nonetheless. They watched through holes and cracks between furniture as the werewolf continued to sniff the air. Its snout came dangerously close to Hana's face, but she kept still, and eventually, the creature moved off.

The four friends sat in silence for what seemed like hours, occasionally firing a Stunning Spell to distract the werewolf from hurting itself. Every time that happened, the group switched hiding spots and relied on Hana to recast the protection spell again and again. By the end of the night, only minor scratches and bruises littered Hana, Sirius' and James' skin—Peter remained untouched, as the other three kept getting in the werewolf's way every time it went to attack him.

The light of the full moon slowly faded, and a disoriented werewolf slowly turned back into a vulnerable Remus. Hana tossed the giant blanket over him, wrapped him up tight, and hauled the boy over her shoulders, as she always did.

"You sure you can do this?"  
"I do this every month, Sirius," Hana said, as they walked back down the tunnel to the Whomping Willow. "Granted, Remus _is_ getting taller."  
"Need a hand?" James asked. "Sirius and I can take him."  
"I'm fine."  
"Hana, come on. You did most of the work tonight," Sirius said. "The least we can do is haul Rem's unconscious arse up to the castle."

The girl couldn't resist a light chuckle. With a tired nod, Hana let Sirius and James take Remus through the tunnel. Peter went ahead and stopped the Willow's bashing, and then the rest of the group followed him up all the way to the infirmary where Madam Pomfrey was waiting for Hana and Remus, but not the rest of the company that followed her in.

"Miss Yukimura, this is absurd!" the matron screeched. "It was bad enough that the Headmaster let you risk your life like this, and now you've dragged _three_ other students with you? What's next—the entire Gryffindor House?"  
"Madam Pomfrey, I'm sorry, but they dragged themselves into this," Hana defended. "They found out about Remus and just... invited themselves."  
"Invited themselves? Miss Yukimura, this is not a party!" Madam Pomfrey scolded, beginning to tend to Remus' wounds. "This better be the first and the last time you three help this young lady or the Headmaster _will_ find out about this. Am I clear?"  
"Well—"  
"Am I clear?"  
"Yes, Madam Pomfrey," they all chorused.  
"Good, now get out of here before I take away House points for being out after hours."

Hana, Peter, Sirius and James quickly ducked out of the Infirmary after one last glance at Remus. They were silent all the way to Gryffindor tower, trying their best to avoid Peeves the poltergeist or a professor doing their rounds, and Hana would have gone up to bed without uttering a single word had it not been for Sirius.

"You going to hold Madam Pomfrey to her word?"  
"I should," Hana said, halfway up the stairs to the girls' dormitory. "It's not like you were especially helpful. You said so yourself, I did most of the work. But... Remus is getting to tall for me. I'll need someone to 'haul is unconscious arse' back to the castle, won't I?"

James and Sirius smiled. Peter was smiling too, albeit less enthusiastically.

"We good?" Sirius asked.  
"Merlin's beard, no," Hana laughed. "But this could be a step in the right direction."  
"I'll take it."


	44. Logical

"You're going to lose."  
"You wanna bet on that?"  
"Guys, stop it."  
"Make it a Galleon."  
"You're on."

Lily rolled her eyes as Hana took off her gloves and shook Severus' hand, settling their bet. Flynn gave Hana one last high-five as they left the players' tent and headed for the stands. The girl smirked and headed back into the heated tent. As the Captain went over the final details of their gameplay, Hana threw on her blue and bronze cape and fastened her guards to all of her limbs, sliding her gloves back on as Pickerin finished her speech—today's match was Slytherin against Ravenclaw and there was no way Isobel was going to lose to "a bunch of slithering worms."

" _Hello, and welcome to Hogwarts' third match of the season!_ " Noah called from the commentary box. " _Today's game: Slytherin versus Ravenclaw!_ "

With a war call from Pickerin, the Ravenclaw team swung themselves onto their brooms and zoomed out together, nearly perfectly coordinated with the Slytherin team. Both teams did a few turns around the pitch, cheering and waving to their friends in the stands, then returned to the centre, hovering just a few feet above where Madam Hooch was standing beside a trunk.

" _The players take their positions!_ "  
"Now, I want a nice clean game, got it? If I see any nonsense, you're out."

Madam Hooch kicked the trunk and it flew open. The bludgers flew out like angry little balls of rage and the golden snitch followed a split second after. Hana watched zoom off into the distance, trying to her best to keep her eye on it. Then, Hooch grabbed the Quaffle, and with a blow of her whistle she threw it into the air, and the game began.

" _The Quaffle is released... and the game begins! Remember, the snitch is worth 150 points. The seeker who catches the Snitch ends the game!_ "

Without a moment to lose, Hana zoomed off in the direction she last saw the snitch. Noah was following her every move, astounded by the ferocity displayed so early in the game—little did he know that she had a bet to win. In no time, Hana was on the snitch's tail. She watched it zoom passed the Slytherin Keeper, Goran Brack, narrowly dodging a bludger from Helion Tempest. As the bells rang, signalling a goal, Hana dove underneath Kestrel and Harper, trying to close the distance between herself and the snitch.

" _Duke Rodney scores! Ten points to Ravenclaw!_ "

A smirk reached Hana's lips as Noah made the announcement, but it was soon washed off her face as Maude Blankley came rushing from the left. She checked Hana with a solid blow, veering her off-course. The girl swore loudly and quickly caught up to Blankley again, flying straight at her. Blankley backed out of the way at the last second, twirling to the left and losing her balance. 

"That'll teach you," Hana muttered to herself. "Ah, _chikushō!_ "

Hana let herself fall sideways and hang from the underside of her broom as a bludger came straight for her head. She swung herself back up and glared at Emlyn Stocker, the Beater that had sent the bludger.

" _Shinjimae_ ," Hana shouted angrily.

Without wasting any more time, Hana flew up high in search for the snitch that she'd lost, but it was nowhere to be seen. So, meanwhile, Hana watched the game unfold beneath her. Slytherin took possession of the Quaffle and their three Chasers bolted for the Ravenclaw goal posts. Pickerin intercepted one of their passes and chucked the Quaffle over to Latimer. With the Slytherins hot on their tails, Latimer passed the Quaffle to Rodney and him to Pickerin, who made a mad dash for the Slytherin goal posts and sank one past Brack.

" _Another ten points to Ravenclaw courtesy of Captain Isobel Pickerin. It's now 30 to 10!_ "

Suddenly, a bludger zoomed past Hana's head and then flew back towards the pitch, nearly hitting one of the Slytherin Chasers. If there was one thing Hana loved about her team, it was the Beaters. Eiran and Tiordan were the cream of the crop, and it wasn't surprising that they took out a Slytherin on their second swing—Hana had literally seen them double-team on a bludger and sent someone to the hospital wing.

This gave Ravenclaw the chance to keep possession of the quaffle—and they did. Pickerin intercepted it on a pass from Keeper to Chaser and dashed off towards the centre of the pitch as Kestrel and Harper closed in on her. She passed the quaffle to Latimer, who caught it easily, but he ended up passing it back over to Pickerin as Kestrel and Vanity were about to ram into him. Pickerin made a fast backwards pass towards Rodney, who soared through the Slytherin Chasers to score another goal on Brack.

" _And that's another goal by Rodney! It's 40-10 for Ravenclaw!_ "

For the next thirty minutes, both Slytherin and Ravenclaw scored equally. The scores were now up to 80-50, and Hana hadn't seen the snitch since her encounter with Blankley. But as soon as Hana thought the snitch had left the stadium, she was zooming down the pitch, a glinting golden sparkle in her field of vision.

" _One more for Slytherin! The score is now 80-60 for Rav—Oh! The Ravenclaw seeker is making a move!_ "

The golden snitch was stationary, but not for long. The second that Hana and Maude approached it, it darted straight to the right and flew around in an apparently random trajectory. Both Seekers came in side by side, and they pushed against each other with all their might, struggling to get ahead, until Hana veered off and smashed directly into the Slytherin Chaser, effectively sending her off-course. Hana cursed something at her (which Noah translated much to McGonagall's chagrin) and then accelerated towards the snitch. Just as her fingers were about to clasp themselves around the golden snitch, a bludger came straight at Hana, and she dove forward and off her broom to avoid it. The crowd gasped as Hana rushed forward and crashed onto the pitch with a shuddering impact. Hana felt her bones move in ways that they shouldn't, but, regardless, and without looking at the blood seeping from her skin, she proudly held out the golden snitch with her broken arm.

" _She's got it! She's got the snitch! Hana Yukimura catches the golden snitch and earns 150 points! Ravenclaw wins! Take that Slytherin!_ "  
" _Xiang!_ "

The pain had been drowned out by the cheers and encouragements of her teammates until Hana saw Madam Pomfrey running down the pitch. The pain suddenly began to throb in her shoulder, deep and hot. It felt as if someone had their hand in there, pulling muscle and bone apart with their bare hands. Hana let out a strangled scream as Madam Pomfrey lifted her onto a gurney, and felt blood well into her mouth from the tongue she'd just bitten in a vain attempt to keep quiet.

"Hana, are you all right?" a voice said.  
"I'm fine, Lily," Hana said in a sort of gargling sound. "We won, we won..."  
"Miss Evans, she's in shock, I must tend to her wounds."

Hana's vision became blurry and clear over and over again until it all went black. It wouldn't be until a few cups of a blood-replenishing potion, Skele-Gro, several drops of Dittany and a full two days of rest that Hana would awaken.

Everything was blurry. For a few moments, Hana didn't know where she was. There was a buzzing sound filling her ears, and her eyes, still tired and unfocused, couldn't see anything past her own nose. It took a while before Hana could make anything out, and everything came back to normal to the sounds of Madam Pomfrey scolding all of her friends.

"Isn't this a nice welcome," Hana said sarcastically.  
"Hana, you're all right!" Lily exclaimed.  
"'Course she is, Evans. She's stubborn," James said.  
"Thanks, Potter. Good to see you too."  
"Oh, I was so worried!" Lily continued.  
"I'm fine, Lily. Say—did we win? I can't seem—"  
"Quidditch!? You've just woken up from a two-day coma and all you can think about is Quidditch!?"

Hana blinked stupidly, then nodded slowly.

"I had a bet."

Lily groaned and shook her head. James, Sirius and Remus all laughed. Madam Pomfrey audibly sighed and walked over to check Hana's bandages. Noah and Flynn stood aside to let her through.

"'Course you won," Sirius said.  
"I should hope so," Remus noted. "You nearly broke in half on that poor excuse of a landing."  
"It was either that or a bludger to the head," James chuckled. "At least there's no brain damage this way."  
"Ya shouldn't be doing things like this—or at least be more careful," Flynn said quietly, looking worried.  
"Oi, don't worry Murph—this one's indestructible," Sirius barked.  
"Only out of sheer spite," Noah said off-handed, glancing to Sirius for a moment.

Hana laughed, grateful that at least a few of her friends had been genuinely concerned. It seemed normal that Sirius and James were laughing it off, as they were known to practise strange broom manoeuvres on their holidays (and obviously hurt themselves in the process), and Hana didn't mind it either. It was nice to have a bit of normalcy after such an ordeal.

"So, where's Peter?" she asked.  
"History of Magic—poor sod," James said. "Should have seen his face when we said we were gonna see you without him. I'm sure he'll be by later though."  
"Oh, no!"

Madam Pomfrey's shout caught everyone off-guard.

"There will be no more visiting from any of you today!" she continued. "Miss Yukimura might be well enough to see friends, others are not, and they should not be disturbed by you lot any further. You have five minutes—make them count."  
"See, this is what happens when you lot are involved in anything," Lily said, glaring at Sirius and James.  
"Oi, excuse me for being excited to see my friend for the first time in two days," Sirius snapped.  
"Hey, don't yell at Evans," James insisted.

The bickering continued and all of Hana's friends were ushered out even before their five minutes had gone out. Hana chuckled as James, Sirius and Remus all dramatically bowed and waved on their way out and smiled gratefully at Lily, Noah and Flynn as they left as well, leaving the girl to her own thoughts. 

Bored after merely a few minutes, Hana began to test her mobility. Unsurprisingly, Madam Pomfrey's remedies were wonderful, and after struggling for a short while, Hana was able to stand and walk around a little. There were no scars on her arm or anywhere else blood had been spilling from earlier that week. But without really thinking, Hana wandered a little too far.

She ended up on the other side of the infirmary, staring at a white sheet hiding a bed. Curious, Hana pulled the sheet back.

It was Beverly, skin red and purple as if the ice was still attached to her. At least now Hana could tell she was breathing, but seeing her housemate in this state only reinforced the worry and fear. What if more people ended up like her?

When Hana heard footsteps coming, she quickly jerked the curtain back to its original position and dashed over to her bed. She collapsed on it, already exhausted from overexerting herself, and Madam Pomfrey scolded her for pushing herself too hard. Hana apologised meekly, eyes focused on the white curtain that hid Beverly.

"Is Bev going to be all right, Madam Pomfrey?"  
"Focus on getting better, will you?" the matron said. "You can help anyone if you're sick yourself, you know."  
"Right."  
"I'm sure she'll be all right," Madam Pomfrey said after a while. "Her body temperature is rising every day."

Hana sighed and nodded. It was a little reassuring to hear that Beverly was slowly getting better, but it didn't quell her fears. The ice was still there, and if Beverly was only getting better because she wasn't attached to the ice, and not by the matron's hand, then there was no saying when this would all be over.

"You look worried."

The girl's eyes shot from the curtain to the person who'd spoken.

"And you owe me a galleon."

Severus sighed and rolled his eyes, then threw a shiny galleon at Hana.

"I'd hoped the crash landing had tampered with your memory."  
"So mean." Hana put the galleon on her bedside table. "You might want to leave before Madam Pomfrey throws you out. She already sent everyone else away."  
"Madam Pomfrey knows I'm here," Severus said, taking a seat near Hana's cot. "I came in early this morning when you were starting to move again. I told her I'd come back after supper."  
"Ugh, I'm missing supper," Hana whined, dramatically throwing her head back.  
"Stop complaining," Severus sighed. "Here."

Out from his robes, Severus pulled out one of the large purple cloth napkins usually set on the table for dinner in the Great Hall. Inside, much to Hana's glee, were a few sausage rolls, a scotch egg and two little cream puffs.

"And to think people say you aren't nice," Hana said, shaking her head.  
"Shut up," Severus grumbled. "Based on your horrible eating habits and the fact you were in a coma for two days, I came to the conclusion that you might want something decent to eat once you woke up."  
"You brought me food even though you didn't have to. No one else brought food. Some people call that nice."  
"Some people call it logical."  
"Nice."  
"I'll take the food back."  
"Don't you dare!"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1: Chikushō: Oh, shit!  
> 2\. Shinjimae: Go to hell/Drop dead


	45. Mystery Boy

"What's this?"  
"A gift."  
"Why?"  
"Why not?"  
"Because it feels like I'm being courted in the sixteenth century."

The speed at which Sirius threw the bouquet of flowers in his hands was incredible. Hana looked up from her book and at Sirius, who cringed when the flew straight at the Hufflepuff table and hit Flynn square in the face. 

"Well, I could have kept them," Hana said, wincing as she looked over at Flynn. "That's just a waste of perfectly good flowers."  
"But you said you felt like you were being courted!" Sirius groaned. He sat down beside Hana, pushing Xenophilius out of his way. "I'm not courting you. God, I hate that word. _Courting_."

Sirius pretended to gag. Hana chuckled and returned her eyes to her book.

"You've been at it for a week and a half, Sirius," she said, going over the effects of the Girding potion. "Flowers are not going to convince me to accept your apology."  
"What about those chocolates?"  
"Oh, I ate those," Noah said, his nose in his Transfiguration book. He glanced up at Sirius for a moment. "Give her more. I'll eat them too."  
"I'm not trying to convince _you_ , now am I?" Sirius laughed. "C'mon Snowflake! I've gotta be closer."  
"You get further away the more you call me 'Snowflake', Sirius," Hana said. She took a sip of tea. "Besides, only time will tell when I'll decide to forgive you."  
"You're just doing this because you like seeing me suffer."  
"You've figured me out, Sirius Black."

Sirius scoffed and made a mess of Hana's hair before getting up and walking back over to the Gryffindor table.

"Idiot," Hana sighed, fixing her hair.  
"You've got to give him some credit," Noah said, flipping a page in his book. "He's trying."  
"Trying to gain my forgiveness is not actually the same as being sorry for what he did. Now, I realise that he'll probably never be sorry for it, but if I can tally up enough days where he and James don't do anything to Severus—then I'll forgive him."  
"Wow, they're doomed."  
"These yours?"

Hana turned to see Flynn holding about half of the bouquet that was initially thrown at him.

"So it would seem," Hana said, taking the flowers from Flynn. "Think I can invade Lily's dorm with more of these, or will she kill me?"  
"She'll kill you," Lily said as she appeared beside Flynn. She grabbed the flowers out of Hana's hands and threw them behind her. "These things have been piling up for days, Hana. If it keeps up, I'm going walk up to Sirius Black and feed these flowers to him."  
"Oh, poor Collins," Hana said, watching as the flowers landed in Fletcher Collins' oatmeal.  
"It's extra fibre, I suppose," Flynn commented.  
"Honestly, you two," Lily sighed. "Come on. We need to get to class."  
"It's History of Magic, Lily," Noah said, then took a last sip of tea. "Binns wouldn't even notice if a giant pink elephant walked into the classroom. Being a few minutes late won't kill us."  
"Not that in and of itself, no," Hana said, gathering her books and coming to a stand. "But Lily might murder you."  
"Fair point."

Lily rolled her eyes at her friends, and then they all made their way to their class. Hana and Flynn had to dodge a fanged frisbee as it shot straight passed them, and they enjoyed watching the caretaker run after it with a panicked look on his face. By the time they'd gotten to class, there were barely any seats left, so Hana pulled out a few trusty pillows from the depths of her charmed bag and lay them down for her friends to sit on. Noah nearly fell asleep ten minutes in and even Lily, who'd been preaching about the importance of all class of their way there, was trying very hard to keep her eyelids open as Binns droned on and on about the Medieval Assembly of European Wizards. Hana and Flynn took to enchanting bits of paper and casting them at Binns to see how many it took for him to notice. At the end of class, Binns hadn't even noticed an entire sheet of paper flying right at him.

Before everyone left, Binns woke up enough to assign new readings for the Easter holidays, much to everyone's dismay. With a groan, the students left for their next classes, and as they went back down to the first floor for Charms, Noah veered off and heading to his class. Severus was already sitting down when Lily, Flynn and Hana walked in, and they all took seats beside each other. Hana filled Severus in on History of Magic and showed him the new readings, which effectively allowed him to avoid that class later in the afternoon. 

"Don't encourage him to skip his classes," Lily said in a scolding tone.  
"I don't skip any of my classes, Lily," Severus said as he pulled out his Herbology notes.  
"Yeah, don't loop him into my degeneracy," Hana chuckled. She took out her Herbology notes and began comparing. "We just compare notes on classes we don't have together. I do it with Flynn and Noah, too. Started at Christmas."  
"What's the point?"  
"She compiles it," Flynn said. "When it's exam time, she sends us a complete study guide with our best notes."  
"On a scale of one to ten, how much of a Ravenclaw are you?" Lily asked bewildered.  
"About a twelve, I'd say," Hana said off-handed. "I can loop you into the study guide if you want."  
"Hana, that's far too much work. I don't want to—"  
"She enjoys it," Severus interrupted. "You'd probably be doing her a favour. She'll spend less time being a complete idiot with those Gryffindors."  
"I can see it now," Noah laughed. "Hana, the recluse, knows nothing but the scribbling of quills and every single way the Wiggenweld potion can go wrong."  
"Once every few days, the creature is spotted outside its natural habitat—her bedroom," Flynn continued. "It lives solely on tea that others make for 'er and leftover takeaway."  
"Oh, shut up, both of you," Hana chuckled. "Clearly, I'm a mythical creature that holds all knowledge."

The nonsense continued until Professor Flitwick entered the classroom and interrupted Flynn's impression of a Wild Man. Hana scribbled the last bits of Severus' notes into her own and passed them back to him as Flitwick began his lesson on the Disarming charm. After the theory, the professor made all the students get up, and he pushed all the books and boards to the sides of the classroom with a wave of his wand. For the rest of the class, the students practised disarming each other, and while many were successful, several others' wands ended up high up in the chandelier or poking someone's eye out. When one of the students' wands hit Flitwick square in the forehead, the class was dismissed, and the five friends had an extra fifteen minutes before lunch. They took the long way back to the Great Hall, going past several coats of armour and corridors filled with students skipping class and playing with some trinket from Zonko's Joke Shop. 

As they entered the Great Hall, food was just appearing on the tables, and students began stuffing their faces. Severus went over to the Slytherin table, and Lily to the Gryffindor table, where she purposefully sat the furthest from James Potter as possible. Hana, Noah and Flynn all sat together at the Ravenclaw table, trying to avoid yet another conversation about Nargles with Xenophilius Lovegood. They stuffed their faces with mince pies and copious amounts of pumpkin juice, and Noah and Hana waved at Flynn as he left for his next class. 

"I'm going to nap before Astronomy, later," Noah said, stretching his arms above his head.  
"Oh, come on, you don't want to pass out during class, again?" Hana chuckled.  
"Did you see professor Sinistra's face last time? No, thank you."  
"All right, I'll come up with you."

Hana grabbed one last mini mince pie from the table and followed Noah out of the Great Hall. They climbed behind a statue just outside the main entrance and exited from behind a portrait in the landing leading up to Gryffindor tower. The Fat Lady argued with them a little about her singing before letting the two Ravenclaw in, and Noah went straight up to bed. The common room was empty, as the majority of students had classes, and Hana took the optimal spot on the comfiest couch in the common room. She put her feet up by the fire and pulled out her History of Magic and Charms textbooks to start reading, but she'd barely gotten a quarter of the way into History of Magic when she heard arguing upstairs. Moments later, a boy about her age came barrelling down the stairs, and as he bolted out of the common room, he bumped into people coming in.

"Where'd that little—oh, it's you."

Hana turned towards the voice. It was Patricia Rakepick, and she was calmly walking down the stairs. Though, by the state of her breathing, Hana could tell that she was the one who'd been arguing. 

"You'd better keep your mouth shut, or else."  
"Yo, Rakepick!"

It was Sirius, Remus and James that the boy had rammed into. Sirius and James were smiling at her, and she smiled back, but Remus looked rather unimpressed.

"I'll see you later, boys. Remember—Hufflepuffs after dinner."

Hana narrowed her eyes at Rakepick as she left, and the Gryffindor turned to glare just as she was leaving.

"You all right?" James asked, bringing Hana's gaze away from Rakepick.  
"Hm, yeah," she said absentminded. "You know her?"  
"Rakepick? Yeah!" Sirius said, leaning against the fireplace. "She's the one who helps us make a mess of things when you're not around."  
"Is she?"  
"She's the one who helped us knock open a few cages of Cornish Pixies into the Great Hall last week," James laughed.  
"Oi, one of those yanked some of my hair out!"  
"Oh, come on, it was a laugh!" Sirius said. "What's got your wand in a knot."  
"Nothing, it's just..."

Hana was silent for a moment. Seeing the boys act so friendly around Patricia Rakepick made her wary of sharing her concerns. After all, one of them could easily let slip things about her to Rakepick without even noticing.

"She just seems a bit haughty for my taste."  
"Nah, she's fine once you get to know her."  
"Maybe... Do you know that boy that rammed into you?"  
"I'm not sure," Remus said immediately. He sat next to Hana. "He went straight through us. I didn't get a good look."  
"Yeah, me either," James noted. "Why?"  
"Just curious. He was arguing with Rakepick upstairs."  
"Oh, don't worry about it, Snowflake," Sirius said gleefully. "Just a little argument."

James and Sirius quickly moved onto other topics of conversation, but Hana kept wondering. The boy had been running too fast for her to have seen his face, and the light was so dim inside the common room that she didn't even get a good lock at the boy's robes. As she slumped backwards, disappointed, Remus scooted closer to her.

"I can help you figure out who it is," he whispered. Hana looked at him. "This is about that boy and the ice, right?"  
"Yeah, it is. I can't help but think they're in it together."  
"I'll sniff around for you."  
"Thanks, Rem."  
"Oh, lookie here!" James and Sirius shouted. "Hand and Remus sittin' in a tree! K-i-s-s—"  
"Shut it, or I'll hex you both!"


End file.
